The Art of Peace
by Ueshiba
Summary: Complete! AU. Harry decides his friends in the wizarding world will be safer without him, prompting him to leave it. Instead of the normalcy he craves, he finds something else, something he could never have foreseen.
1. Prologue The Point of No Return

Prologue:  
The Point of No Return  
  
People ran screaming as a devil walked among them, no sign of emotion on his face even if they had dared to look. Others were there as well, cloaked and hooded figures sending the runners to their Maker with the killing curse, laughing as they did so. One of the Death Eaters made his was to the Dark Lord.  
  
"My Lord?" he started timidly.  
  
"What is your report?" Voldemort demanded.  
  
"I have just returned from Privet Drive, my Lord. The bomb worked perfectly. Harry Potter is dead."  
  
Three Days Earlier:  
  
"Boy, get your lazy butt into the kitchen!" yelled Uncle Vernon as he walked down the stairs. Harry groaned, pulling on his clothes as he rolled out of bed. It was his first day of summer vacation after fourth year and here was Uncle Vernon starting it the way he always had. In a way, though, Harry was glad to be here -- at least now he did not have to look at any of his classmates anymore. Ever since the Triwizard Tournament it had been eating at him, wearing him down. No matter what anyone said it was his fault Cedric had died, and nothing could change that. It seemed no matter what he did it was those he loved and respected that got hurt. It was time to end all of that.  
  
Right on schedule, Uncle Vernon interrupted his thoughts. "I don't have time for your laziness, boy! Some of us work for a living." Harry snorted at the thought of Uncle Vernon working, but he went downstairs anyways, ready to do his own work without vocal complaint as he always had, although he certainly reserved the right to curse under his breath. At least Dudley's gang of friends did not come around anymore - that had stopped when Harry had a sudden growth spurt. It was amazing how scared people became when their target got bigger than they were.  
  
The rest of the day went by quickly enough, with Aunt Petunia cursing his laziness and Dudley stealing his food as usual. At last Harry could climb into bed, sleep lurking around the corner again. However, tonight sleep was the last thing Harry wanted. He waited until the snores of his relatives filled the house and quietly collected the bag he had hidden under the bed containing all of his magical things. Stealthily he crept down the stairs and raided the kitchen for the supplies he had taken stock of this morning. He then collected Dudley's camping equipment from a failed camping trip a couple of years before. It seemed that animal sounds gave the poor boy nightmares after living with his appliances for his entire life, so he definitely would not miss the tent and sleeping bag. Harry now had a good sized load for even his lanky 6'2" frame, so he strapped it to his back, quietly calling for Hedwig. This had been the biggest problem in the plan, as Harry was definitely not leaving her with the Dursley's, and he could not just ask someone to keep her while he ran away, but neither could he feed her on the run. He had finally come up with what he thought was a foolproof plan. The letter he now tied to Hedwig's leg went like this:  
  
Ron,  
How's the vacation so far? I'm doing all right. I do have a little  
problem though, mate, and I was wondering if you could help me out. It  
seems Minister Fudge decided to reward me for winning the Tournament,  
although it probably just that he doesn't want me telling anyone about  
Voldemort being back. Anyway he gave me this great new hawk owl. I'm  
sure you can see the problem. I can't keep two owls, but I can't give  
away Fudge's gift either, so I was wondering if Ginny could keep Hedwig  
on a sort of permanent loan. This way I could see her once in a while  
(Hedwig, I mean) and Ginny could finally have her own owl so she can  
write letters without you and your brothers reading them and writing your  
comments. Take care of her, Ginny. Well, that's all, so have a great  
time home with the garden gnomes. Thanks again.  
  
--Harry  
  
P.S. Could you not send a reply for a few weeks? I barely got this  
letter out, so we'd better give the Dursley's a couple weeks to get used  
to me being here again.  
  
Harry felt badly about lying to his friends like this but he figured they would understand they were safer with him gone and get on with their lives. Sirius and Hermione were a problem too, but to tell them why and when he was going would have just gotten him caught. Sirius deserved a whole new life now, and maybe Hermione and Ron could finally get together without him being in the way all the time. At least they knew he was still alive thanks to this letter. Shaking off any final doubts, Harry went out the door and released Hedwig, leaving Privet Drive and the Dursley's for good.  
  
When Voldemort was notified about the bomb's success, he was elated, if a soulless being like him could really feel anything other than hate. Without a word he apparated to Privet Drive; one could never trust a mere servant after all. As he popped into place, Voldemort surveyed the area. Sure enough, Number Four Privet Drive was a smoking ruin. The fire brigade had yet to arrive, so he looked for Potter's body himself. His elation disappeared a moment later when he realized he was a body short. Potter was not there. What could have gone wrong? According to his moles in the Ministry, the boy had not left the house since arriving earlier in the week. This could only mean one thing; as of now, Voldemort was the only one who knew that the boy was still alive. Without delay he drew on his vast reserve of Dark magic, using it and his borrowed blood to create a perfect copy of Potter, except this one was most definitely dead. Tossing it into the flames to be discovered by the Ministry and Muggle authorities, Voldemort disapparated. He had a boy to find a lackey to kill. For Voldemort, failure had long since ceased to be an option. 


	2. Chapter 1 New Beginnings

Chapter 1:  
New Beginnings  
  
The wizarding world awoke the next morning to headlines screaming "The Boy Who Lived Dead! Muggles Blamed!" Across England wizards and witches sat at their breakfast table, stunned. In a small cabin alongside a loch in Scotland Remus Lupin and Sirius Black got drunk together, bawling like children. The Burrow was quieter than it had ever been, as Arthur and Molly Weasley were surrounded by their children and Hermione, who had just arrived by Floo, taking solace in each other. Not even Fred and George could break the gloom, not that they were up to trying. Ginny, though, sat in a corner by herself, puzzled. Her bloodshot eyes and puffy cheeks showed that she too had been crying, but she was too busy thinking right now. Owls were very magical creatures, so why wasn't Hedwig grieving the loss of her master? She knew they had some sort of elemental bond between the two of them; otherwise Hedwig would never be able to deliver letters to him. So what did this mean? Was Harry alive? If so, whose body was in the St. Mungo's morgue? Hesitantly, she left the room with Hedwig and after giving her a letter and careful instructions, let her fly away, leaving Ginny alone with her thoughts and fears.  
  
Meanwhile, Albus Dumbledore sat quietly in his office at Hogwarts, gazing at Fawkes the phoenix. "It seems our dear Harry has left us," he said. "I know he'll be alright though. He learned from the best." A pause filled the air as unspoken communication sped between the magical bird and the Headmaster. "No, I won't go after him yet. Let us see how this plays out. Who knows, maybe he will learn more now than ever!"  
  
And a disgruntled Severus Snape looked over autopsy reports in his dingy Potions lab, muttering. "Potter, you fool, what have you done now?"  
  
Harry was tired and hungry. Running away wasn't supposed to be this difficult! He had already been through three run-ins with the coppers. How was he to know it was illegal to sleep in public parks? And who knew that it was almost a capital crime to steal a milk bottle off of a porch?! Sure, he could have gotten rid of them easily enough with a few well placed charms and hexes. Hermione and Voldemort between them had given him a huge amount of incentive to learn about the more fighting oriented portions of magic after all. The only problem was that any use of his wand would end up with him being right at the Ministry and that was the last place he wanted to be right now. Maybe he could get around to teaching himself some wandless magic. It wasn't impossible, the incident with the snake in the zoo had shown him that, it was just he didn't know where to start. Oh well, he had a lot of time for that later; first he had to reach the Continent to get out of the Ministry's reach. In order to get there though, he needed money, and in London that only came from Gringott's in Diagon Alley.  
  
Thanking his father for his foresight in getting an invisibility cloak, Harry carefully approached the Gringott's branch and slipped inside when the door opened. Walking through the main doors, he hid in a corner to unobtrusively remove his cloak. His so obviously Muggle hat, sunglasses and clothes covered all his identifying features as well as giving people something else to look at than his face. If there was one thing that he had learned from Barty Crouch when he had impersonated Moody, it was that the best place to hide was in plain sight. The only problem now was to get into his vault unnoticed. Fortunately, wizards and goblins still had their communication problems, so hopefully his visit would be ignored until it was too late for anyone to catch him. Walking brazenly to the main desk, he asked the goblin there if he could enter his vault. The goblin looked at him suspiciously, but let him in without a word after ensuring that he was actually Harry Potter. After taking as much out as he could carry hidden on his person and transferring it into common English currency, Harry put the cloak back on and once more slipped into Diagon Alley's streets.  
  
Outside, Harry sighted in relief. This had been much easier than he expected, and once he was out of here he was almost home free. Then the inevitable disaster struck. The new edition of the Daily Prophet appeared on the newsstands. People were immediately rushing to buy it, gathering in small groups and. crying? Harry was at a loss to what was going on. He could not get close enough to see the headlines, so he tried eavesdropping on one of the calmer groups of people.  
  
"I can't believe it!" one woman sobbed. "He can't be gone!"  
  
One of the others in the group spoke up-a little more calmly this time. "Isn't it ironic though? After all the work Dumbledore did to protect him, the 'Boy Who Lived' was killed by mere Muggles!"  
  
Harry couldn't believe what he had heard. He was supposed to be dead? What on earth was going on? He listened to more groups and eventually discovered the story - at least the Prophet's take on it anyways. He had been killed when a bomb had exploded in the Dursley's living room, obliterating the entire house when the gas main caught fire and blew. The Dursley's had died as well, leaving Harry without any family at all. As soon as he learned this, Harry was trembling in fear and anger. Even when he was gone people who knew him were still being hurt. It was better if they thought him dead; it would save a lot of people a lot of agony. He was sorry for the Dursley's though. Sure they had held a mutual hate for each other, but they were family, and just for that they had been killed. One of these days Voldemort was going to pay, and pay with his life, for all the evil he had done. With that final promise to the family he had never really known, Harry left Diagon Alley, slipping into the immense city of London, losing himself as only a Muggle could.  
  
When he finally was able to sneak onto a ship two days later, Harry was more than willing to forget all about London and everything to do with it. It was amazing how stratified Muggle society was. It was just as bad as wizards. Right now he was on a ship that could have been carrying garbage for a hundred years considering the shape it was in, and not a kilometer away was a cruise ship, catering to all the vices of the rich and famous on their way to the Azores. However, that wasn't what he was here for. This ship happened to be carrying a load of sheep across the Channel to France for an auction. Apparently they were something special with extra fine wool or something, Harry didn't really care. He was out of England, and that is all that mattered for now. After a nice refreshing nap, a bump jolted Harry out of his sleep, telling him it was time to go. Once more making sure he was completely covered by the invisibility cloak, he left the ship, not a single soul realizing they had been carrying a much more precious cargo than sheep.  
  
The port city of Calais was like nothing Harry had ever seen. Sure, he had walked he docks of London, but this-this was old. It was obvious that the city had been rebuilt several times. Walking through it Harry could see houses that were unmistakably English next to ones that were most definitely French, and others that he had no idea where they came from. He had taken off the cloak in a secluded alley soon after making a swift exit from the port, so he was able to lose himself in the crowds. He had a limited supply of French at his disposal - he had gotten a dictionary to learn a few important words at a bookstore in London. Right now he was looking for a bank or something like it to change his money. Might as well get that over with as soon as possible since he did not plan on returning to England any time soon, if ever. Spying a small branch bank nearby, he made his way inside and converted his money.  
  
It was getting dark by the time he left, so he decided to find a hotel and spend the next few days resting until he decided where to go from here. However, he soon discovered that just as Calais had been a bright inviting place in the day, the part he was in quickly turned sinister in the evening shadows. Groups of people started to congregate; many of them were his own age, but there were children as young as ten or eleven. Feeling for his wand, Harry kept a good grasp on it as he walked down the boulevard. Suddenly it happened. Out of nowhere, a group of toughs materialized all around him, forcing him down into a dark alley.  
  
"Well, what do we have here?" stated one in English with a heavy French accent (A/N: I'm not going to even try to make a French accent, just pretend its there (). "Is the little English boy all on his own in the big city?"  
  
Harry continued to back into the stone wall behind him. "Leave me alone! I don't want to have to hurt you!"  
  
At this the group laughed; a chilled laugh that just added to the fear Harry had. This was different than facing Voldemort. These toughs were an unknown quantity, just after his money or the sport of beating him up. At least he knew where he stood with Voldemort and he had people to help him even if they were only on their way. Here it was just him and the gang.  
  
As they approached, he heard a noise behind him. Someone had back there the whole time! He quickly whirled and caught the other boy with a fist across the jaw, stunning him. In an instant the others were on him, dragging him down. The last thing he saw as he fell was a man running to his rescue, jumping in the air from at least ten meters away, and. flying?  
  
A/N: My first cliffhanger! Thanks for reading this little bit, reviews and suggestions would be great! 


	3. Chapter 2 Friends

A/N: Sifu is pronounced see-foo  
  
Chapter 2:  
Friends  
  
Harry opened his eyes to a pounding headache that only got worse when the light in the room shone directly in his face.  
  
"So you're awake," a voice said. "It's about time; you had me worried there for a while."  
  
This voice spoke in perfect English, with only the hint of an accent to show that it was not the speaker's native tongue.  
  
"Who. Who are you?" Harry asked, his voice abnormally hoarse and strained.  
  
"You can call me Sifu; I am a friend."  
  
"Did you save me?"  
  
"You could say that, yes. Although if it weren't for the one behind you I think you might have gotten away all right. I didn't see him myself until the last second."  
  
Groggily, Harry sat up. In front of him was a man. He looked to be in his mid thirties or early forties at the latest, although it was hard to tell. He had hair black as night that was shaved close to his head and a compact body that was obviously very muscular. His eyes had the ageless look that Dumbledore so often carried; a piercing grey that shook Harry to the core.  
  
"You flew!" This came out as more of an accusation than it was meant to and Harry found himself stuttering. "A-A-Are y-you a wizard?"  
  
"A what? What do you think this is, the Middle Ages?" The man laughed. "I though we stopped believing that nonsense years ago."  
  
Confusion filled Harry's head. "But I saw you?"  
  
"Well, that doesn't mean it is magic, my son. Merely an application of mind over matter. But enough about me, who are you?"  
  
"Harry. My name is Harry."  
  
"No last name?" The smile on Sifu's face grew wider, making Harry feel like an errant schoolboy.  
  
"No, no last name."  
  
"That's all right, I can accept that. Can you tell me where you are from?"  
  
"Nowhere any more." And as he said it, Harry realized it was true. He no longer had a home, and with the announcement of his death he had no friends to hold him back. The only thing keeping him still right now was the massive bruise that was his body. That and the man sitting in the chair next to him drinking tea.  
  
"Ahhh. Much like me then, I gather. I too am a wanderer, a man without a place to call home. But for me it is a choice. For you. well, it matters not. What matters is that you are safe. Perhaps you would like a companion for a while?" The smiling face had turned into a quizzical look of inquiry.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, it seems we are both at loose ends at the moment, and while I would never presume to say you owed me something, maybe you could repay me by giving an older man some much needed company."  
  
"Ummm. I suppose I could go wherever you are going, I have no plans." Harry's mind was spinning now. He had just met this man and already he was going to be traveling with him! Why?  
  
"Marvelous! We'll get to know each other then." Sifu's broad grin was contagious, and Harry felt himself smiling as well.  
  
They talked long into the night over tea and noodle soup, laughing like they were old friends. Sifu had amazing stories, so many that Harry wasn't sure if he was making them up or not, though he told them like he had been there. They involved places Harry had only heard of: Tibet, India, Tanzania, Australia and others. It was close to two in the morning before they finally got to sleep, having agreed to leave Calais in the morning. The next morning, they walked out into the streets, Harry carrying his duffel on his back as well as a bag of Sifu's things. Sifu had a large bag himself as well as a staff that looked like it wasn't just for walking. He moved like a cat, Harry noticed. A closer glance showed that he was almost constantly on the balls of his feet, ready for anything. It reminded him of Crouch/Moody and his constant cries of "Constant Vigilance!" Whatever the reason was, Harry felt safe with him. They walked quietly side by side to a train station and caught one to Marseille.  
  
"So," Harry said, starting the conversation. "What do you do?"  
  
"Oh this and that, never the same thing for long," Sifu replied evasively.  
  
Harry didn't question him, it was obvious that he had secrets just as Harry did, and if worse came worse, he did have his wand in his coat pocket after all. He was sure that Sifu couldn't move faster than a simple Stupefy spell.  
  
"Do you have any plans when we get to Marseille?" Harry asked.  
  
"No, none really. Just going to settle down for a few months. Marseille is a great place to spend the summer, although I think we won't be seeing the famous sights the rich and famous do. We are traveling in third class after all," he said with a laugh.  
  
"You act like you've been there before." A statement, not a question, as Sifu's comment had been the voice of experience.  
  
"Oh, once or twice, a long time ago. I'm sure the old places are still there though." Sifu's face now had a look of fond remembrance.  
  
They both settled into a companionable silence once more, enjoying the countryside as it flowed past. Harry was excited though. He had left his old life behind, and for now at least his friends should be safe. What would this new life have in store for him? He had no idea, but he did know one thing for sure. Whatever it was, it was going to be a journey worth remembering.  
  
Meanwhile, somewhere in England:  
  
Voldemort was frustrated. The entire wizarding world seemed to have been taken in by his ruse. If only it were true! He had yet to hear anything on the whereabouts of the Potter boy, and he couldn't just ask all his Death Eaters to mount a general search as that would just announce to the whole world that the boy was alive. He knew very well that somewhere in his Death Eater ranks there was a mole, he just could not find where, and the information that leaked out was general enough to make his entire cadre a suspect. It was that meddling fool Dumbledore up to his old tricks; he had no doubt about that. How the man could even string together a coherent sentence, let alone organize a resistance was beyond Voldemort's ken, but he had learned long ago never to underestimate Albus Dumbledore. In the meantime, however, all he could do was wait and contact some of his trusted supporters overseas. He was sure Potter was leaving England if he hadn't already as he had not gotten word of his contacting Hogwarts for help. Patience was one thing he had a lot of now, though. If Potter was truly gone he could take his time to gather support now instead of forcing a confrontation. Yes, maybe that is what he would do. 


	4. Chapter 3 Secrets Not Long Buried

Chapter 3:  
Secrets Not Long Buried  
  
When the train pulled into Marseille that evening, Harry and Sifu disembarked, carrying their belongings on their backs. They had decided the first thing to do was find a cheap place to stay, so Sifu led them to an old neighborhood he had once known. The houses were getting run down and some of the street lamps had gone out, but there were no gangs or violence of that sort, so it was just a poorer neighborhood, not a violent one. There was a small apartment building on the corner that Sifu approached, knocking on the main door. Two or three minutes later it was answered by an older woman bending over her cane. The two of them held a quick conversation in French, of which Harry only understood enough to know that they were old friends and that she called him Jean. Then she turned to him.  
  
"And who might you be?" she asked in a thick accent.  
  
"Harry," he said with a smile.  
  
"Well, Harry, if you are a friend of Jean, you are a friend of Madame Dupont as well. Come in!"  
  
They entered the house behind her and she showed them to an apartment on the third floor. It was run down, but it still had a toilet, bath, and kitchen, so Harry decided it was good enough for him. After a few more minutes' conversation with Sifu, M. Dupont left them to their business.  
  
"Well, what do you think?" asked Sifu.  
  
"It's not too bad. Needs a little work, but that's all."  
  
"Yeah, it's a nice little place, and M. Dupont doesn't mind what we do as long as we are quiet and pay the rent on time. Speaking of money, we should probably go get jobs tomorrow. The docks are a good place to start."  
  
With that settled, they both spread out on the floor and slept - beds were another thing they were going to need, that was for sure. In the morning Harry awoke to the smell of eggs and ham on the rickety gas stove in the kitchen and the darkness outside. Yawning, he walked into the other room, ready to help out, only to find the breakfast made already.  
  
"I decided you needed your sleep," Sifu replied to the silent query. "You've had a rough couple days, and it is only five in the morning after all. We need to be down at the docks at around six to get a job, so I decided to cook us a good meal to start."  
  
"Thanks. Thanks a lot." Harry was surprised. It wasn't often that people were nice to him for no reason at all. Even with Ron and Hermione he had always felt the need to supply something in return for their kindness, but here with Sifu, if you could do something you did, there was no obligation at all. It was refreshing, to say the least.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Hmmm.?"  
  
"I said that we should probably get you learning some better French. Unless you plan on leaving real soon, it would be a good thing to know."  
  
"Yeah, that's a great idea; and no, I don't plan on leaving just yet," replied Harry with a smile.  
  
"That's good to hear. Now eat some of that food. You're much too skinny as it is." A now familiar smile covered Sifu's jovial face as he said this, reminding Harry of Mrs. Weasley trying to make him and Ron gain some weight on their thin frames.  
  
As the two of them ate, Sifu started telling Harry words that he needed to know: the basics, such as 'hello', 'goodbye', 'where's the bathroom', etc. His mind was soon overflowing with the words and he was having trouble remembering them all by the time breakfast was finished.  
  
"Don't worry if you can't remember them all. It will be pushed through your head fast enough when we start working," Sifu told him.  
  
And with that they both put on clothes for a day of working. When they reached the port, Sifu directed them to the manager's office and walked inside. Harry followed him curiously. He had never gotten a real job before, what with working for the Dursleys all the time and then going to Hogwarts. It took him aback, then, when all the man wanted to know was their names and address before telling them where the foreman to report too was and what their hours were.  
  
"Wasn't that a little too easy?" he asked.  
  
"No, not at all. They have a lot of turnaround out here. You'll understand once we start working," he said with what almost looked like a sadistic smile, although that didn't fit what Harry knew about Sifu's personality so far. "The work is hard but it will be good for you to put on some muscle doing a real job."  
  
Harry soon found out that if anything, Sifu's words had been an understatement. The work was not just hard, it was brutal with a capital 'B'. For five hours they worked steady, pushing huge boxes onto cranes and loading and unloading them off the ships. There were about ten other men in the work team, but some of the boxes weighed several tons, making Harry feel muscles he never knew existed. When they broke for a half hour lunch, Harry feebly ate the sandwich that Sifu nearly crammed down his throat before taking a quick nap. The nap was over much too soon, however, and Harry had to put in another five hours of the grueling labor before finally quitting at 5:00 that afternoon. As they left, the foreman gave them their day's wages and asked if they would be there the next. Assuring him they would, the two left the port for supper. Sifu was laughing as they walked away, causing Harry to ask what was going on.  
  
"Oh, it's just that I never expected you to make it through the day. That is a grown man's job and hard even then, and not only did you make it, you kept up for most of it. I'm impressed with you."  
  
"Thank you. I've had a little practice with manual labor before." Harry's elated mood at the compliment fell as he remembered why he was there. The Dursley's had made him work and made him unwelcome in their home, but they still did not deserve to die like they did. Voldemort and all those like him would pay one day.  
  
Sensing the mood change, Sifu looked at Harry with concern. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes, just thinking, that's all."  
  
"If you say so." Sifu did not look convinced, but if Harry did not want to tell him then he was not going to pry. "Look there's a nice little restaurant. It has some great clams. Let's go there and celebrate your first day in Marseille."  
  
Harry brightened at this. It had been quite a while since he had been able to spend money on himself without worrying about being seen. Together the two of them made their way into the little bistro and ordered their meals. The food was delicious, and the warm weather soothing, letting Harry's tired muscles unwind from the day's work. They ate in silence, watching people come and go through the windows. Harry was sure he had seen a couple wizards and witches walking as well. Robes had the tendency to stick out, even in a crowd as varied as this ever-changing one was. This meant that there was some sort of wizarding establishment nearby, Harry just needed to find out where the anti-Muggle wards were. However, that could wait until the weekend. For now he would just work at the docks and try to blend in. Once they were finished, the two paid their waiter and left, taking a scenic stroll through a park before returning to the apartment. When they entered the house, a shock was waiting there for them. A snowy white owl was sitting on the kitchen table, a head cocked to one side as they entered the room. Without hesitation, Hedwig flew to Harry and landed on his shoulder, waiting for him to remove the letter. It read:  
  
Harry,  
This is Ginny. Don't worry, I'm the only one who knows what really  
happened. Hedwig wasn't sad when we got the news or before when it  
was supposed to have happened, so I know you are still alive. You  
don't have to answer this if you don't want to, I won't tell.  
Ginny  
  
Harry just sat there looking at the letter while Sifu spluttered in astonishment.  
  
"What is that!? Is that an owl? What is it doing here? Why is it sitting on you and what is it carrying?"  
  
There was no way around it now, Harry had to come clean. He slowly turned around to face Sifu.  
  
"You might want to sit down." When he was seated, Harry continued. "I'm what you would call a wizard, Sifu. I use magic and a magic wand."  
  
"You're just kidding me right?"  
  
"Believe me, I wish I was, but it is true."  
  
"Show me something then."  
  
The demand for a reason not to believe was so present in the question that Harry just wanted to shrivel and die. Not even two days and here he was already being set apart from the rest, an outcast. He wearily pulled out his wand.  
  
"This is my wand. I can't use it though, because if I do there are people who would know. It's like tracing a bullet back to a particular gun."  
  
"So what if you don't use it?"  
  
"That is called wandless magic, but it is very hard and requires a lot of focus."  
  
"Try it then, you never know what will happen. It may just work."  
  
Harry nodded his head. He couldn't very well refute that argument and he had done this type before after all. He slowly raised his hand and concentrated.  
  
"Accio Book!" he cried.  
  
The book immediately flew into his hand, leaving both Harry and Sifu astonished. Bit by bit, though, Sifu's look became less astonished and more calculating.  
  
"What else can you do?"  
  
"Well, magic can be used for everything. With my wand I can make things change shape, heal people, keep people away, even kill people. There is almost no limit to what you can do when you are trained."  
  
"Why are you running then? If you can do anything why not just make your problems disappear?"  
  
It had to come out in the open now. If it didn't Harry would lose his only friend; he had yet to learn how to rearrange people's memories. He quietly told his story, from his defeat of Voldemort as a baby, being raised by the Dursleys, entering Hogwarts, to Voldemort's return and all the evil he had done since.  
  
"So I left so no more of the people I liked would get hurt. I'm sick of watching people die."  
  
Silence greeted the end of his remarks. Sifu just sat there thinking, leaving Harry feeling all the burdens of his fifteen years press down on his shoulders. Finally, he looked up.  
  
"Well, seeing as how I can't do much about it, and I can't blame you for being something you chose to be, what do you say we just pretend I've know all along and keep on going?"  
  
"You mean you don't mind? You don't think I am unnatural or something?" Harry's mind was spinning in circles.  
  
"Of course I don't think you are unnatural. I've been around and I've seen a lot of strange things, maybe not quite to the level of this magic, but pretty close, I'd say. Besides, having a kid like you around might come in useful someday, you never know."  
  
Harry was relieved. He had been in fear that now he would be a pariah, an outcast, for something he could not control, but here was Sifu not only accepting it, but welcoming it as well!  
  
"Ummm. Do you care if I write a letter then? I kind of have to answer this one."  
  
"You mean that owl thing is tame?"  
  
"Hedwig? Yeah, she's tame. She carries letters, kind of like a magic post office."  
  
"Amazing! Sure, go ahead. I'll just be in the other room. I had this newspaper I wanted to read anyways."  
  
And with that Sifu walked into their sitting room with his paper, leaving Harry to think in peace. It took him a while, but he finally determined what he was going to tell her. Better Ginny knew than Ron or Hermione, either of them would have come right after him. He had grown to trust Ginny after the episode with Riddle's diary though, and had grown to think of her as a friend, but one who understood the value of his privacy and didn't get into it too much. That and she finally seemed to be over that crush, which had made things a lot easier in general. So with this in mind, he wrote.  
  
Ginny,  
Thank you so much for not telling anyone. I know it has to be rough  
on everyone thinking I am dead, but believe me it is better this way.  
Please don't send a reply right away, I can't draw attention to  
myself, and you shouldn't either. Thank you. Make sure Hermione and  
Ron get together for me ok? Ron is a stiff and he needs some  
prodding, and they both need someone right now. Have a good summer!  
Harry  
  
Sending Hedwig off, he settled into his chair with a relieved sigh. Now as long as Ginny kept his secret he was safe. That and as long as he could keep his scar hidden. Thinking about this, he made a list of things he would need to do. Writing up his list for shopping the next day, he left it on the table and went to bed. It was astonishing how easily a dreamless sleep came after putting in a good day's work! 


	5. Chapter 4 A Destiny Perceived

**Chapter 4**

**A Destiny Perceived**

_Training the mind_

_Is like bending water;_

_It cannot be stopped_

_But it can be redirected._

            The next morning Harry awoke to sorer muscles than he had ever had, even after an intense Quidditch game.  Groaning, he rolled out of the sleeping bag and after a good breakfast, he and Sifu left for work.  After the previous day's experience he had settled into a routine that made the work go by a little faster, although the work was just as hard.  The day passed uneventfully, though, and before he knew it, Harry was walking home with Sifu for dinner.  After eating, Harry got up.

"I'm going to go for a walk," he announced.

"Need any company?"

"No, not really.  I'm going to look for a wizard's store and Mu… errr, normal people can't see them."  
  
"Oh, all right.  Go on ahead then, I'll do a few things here."

            It was a beautiful night, and Harry enjoyed in the relaxing splendor as he walked along.  He was walking along the street towards the restaurant they had eaten in the night before, hoping to see some of the wizards he had seen that night.  Sure enough, he spotted a group of them walking down the sidewalk.  Following them from a distance he watched the group enter a small storefront labeled Howden's Books – Spellcasting from the Ancients.  Making sure his hat and sunglasses were set, he slipped into the store.  It was a dimly lit building full of ancient books with dubious names such as "Unknown Curses and Hexes".  Obviously, the clientele was of a somewhat shady nature, which suited Harry's purposes perfectly.  If the owner was used to keeping identities secret, they probably would not look twice at his disguise.  Knowing this, he approached the owner, a dusty looking old man sitting at the front of the store.

"Excuse me sir."

"Ehhh?  What's a Muggle like you doing here?"

"I'm not a Muggle – I am looking for a book though."

"If you say so.  What kind of book?"

"I need something on wandless magic."

"Those are very rare, you know. What would a child like you want with something like that?"

            Harry's voice dropped a level as he took a step closer to the man.

"Why I want it is none of your concern, old man.  Keep your nose out of my business, you will live longer," he said with a growl.  

            Howden took a step back involuntarily as the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees.

"Anything you say.  Come over here, I might have something for you."

            They approached a shelf in the back of the store.  It was filled with old books that had not been touched for years.  There, in the middle, was a group of five books on wandless magic.  Harry did not even bother looking through them other than a quick perusal to ensure they were really on wandless magic.  He just picked them all off the shelf, bought them, and left the store.  His next stop was a Muggle department store to get things for his disguise.  Once there he walked into the cosmetics department and bought hair dye and colored contact lenses.  He did not know a way to cover his scar yet, but he was sure that with practice he could do it with the wandless magic he would now be forced to depend on.  

            Sifu asked no questions that night when he got back and immediately went into the bathroom, only coming out when he had short blonde hair and brown eyes.    As it was then quite late, they went to bed.  The next two weeks went by quickly.  Work was difficult, though the money and the muscles starting to stand out on Harry's body made it worth it.  The people he worked with were great as well.  Sifu had been right, working in the dockyards like that forced Harry to learn a new language, and even with the limited experience he had had previously it was starting to come easier, although he was still stuck with a few stock phrases and some very colorful curse words that the other workers were more than happy to tell him.  Each night Harry studied his books, learning new ways of focusing his power into a usable form.  His minor charms became more powerful, and he was even getting limited results with transfiguration exercises he remembered from his first year.  It was a liberating experience to not have to depend on the wand for his magic, and Harry relished the feeling of power it gave him.  Sifu was a help as well.  Granted he did not know magic, but Harry had let him read the books he was not using, he could not do any harm with them after all.  He quickly found that Sifu was like Hermione, devouring a book for the knowledge alone.  He understood things Harry did not due to his better grasp of the French language as well, easing the laborious load of translating the texts into English.  One day, in fact, they had a conversation that would change Harry's life and his perception of the world around him forever.  

            Harry was taking a break from his reading and watching Sifu do a set of exercises that he did every night.  It was a series of flowing motions almost like dancing but for the deadly intent that was inherently obvious in each flash of the hand or foot.  Finally, Harry's curiosity got the better of him.

"What are you doing?"

"This is a form from aikido," Sifu said without slowing his movements.

"And what is aikido?"

"It is a type of martial art that allows you to feel the universe in balance around you, to use it in making your attacker fail in even his attempts to touch you."

"Are you good at it?"

"Aikido?  I must say that I am.  It isn't the only style I know though.  I grew up in a rough neighborhood and early on I decided I needed to protect myself.  I started studying the martial arts when I was ten and I have been doing so ever since."

"Why don't you do them with anyone here then?  Aren't there schools you can go to?"

"Yes, there are schools called dojos, but I discovered something last year that completely changed the way I look at martial arts, and I can't go to a dojo until I work it out."

            This last sentence Sifu spoke with a slight frown on his face, showing that something still bothered him about whatever he had learned.  However, Harry was not about to ask him what it was.  He had learned early on that his roommate needed space just as he did and although he was a great companion, he also had his dark secrets that he was not yet ready to tell.  Therefore, Harry returned to his reading, not wanting to make either of them uncomfortable with a question that could not be answered.  The next night, though, Sifu initiated the conversation.

"I've been reading these books of yours, and although we both know I won't ever understand half of the things it says in it, there is one thing that bothers me."

"What's that?"

"Well, it says over and over again that the wandless magic stuff requires a lot of focus and I've been watching you and you never do anything that increases that focus.  Sure, you sit here and do your spells and yes I see that you are getting better, but you have yet to do a single exercise that helps your mind concentrate better."

"I've never thought about that before, but I guess you are right.  Do you have anything to suggest?"

"Actually, yes.  Have you ever tried meditation?"

"Meditation?  No, I haven't.  How is that supposed to help me?"

"By practicing letting go of the distractions around you and letting your mind focus on one thing in particular, you open your mind to a greater world without the limitations of the physical one."

"And this works?"

"It certainly did with me, and can with you.  I'm certain of this."

"Will you show me then?"

            With that Sifu led Harry through a series of breathing exercises designed to clear his head and allow thoughts to flow freely.  After he had mastered these a few days later, Sifu moved on to the meditation part.  He had Harry sit in a quiet room, eyes closed, as he focused on his breathing.   Harry then gradually tensed each muscle in his body, from the head to the toes and relaxed them in reverse order.  Once he had mastered this, he continued it while studying solitary objects to focus his concentration.  At first he did not notice any difference, but as the days progressed he found it easier and easier to do the minor wandless spells.  It still required focus of course, but the amount needed and the time needed to achieve it grew less and less with each passing day.  One day, almost a month later, he reached the point where he forgot to say the spell out loud, merely thinking it.  To his utter amazement, it still worked!  It was not saying the words that mattered, but thinking them with enough clarity, he realized.  Just like the wand was used to focus his magical ability, saying the spell aloud focused his thoughts into the necessary pattern to use it.  With this new revelation in mind he was able to move on to more and more complex spells.  In the meantime he continued the meditations, learning more from Sifu as he progressed.  Sifu would meditate with him now, ready to answer any questions he might have.  Harry continued to watch the martial arts katas that Sifu practiced; they were beautiful in their deadliness and the peace that Sifu obviously felt when doing them rubbed off on Harry as well.  He still missed Hogwarts and everyone from there, but as the days and weeks wore on, he felt more independent from them and they became more of a distant memory.  

            Harry occasionally pilfered an old copy of the Daily Prophet from a garbage bin behind Howden's Books.  From these he learned that all was quiet in wizarding England, making him surer that he was the reason that Voldemort had done all that he had so quickly.  With him out of the picture for the last six weeks it seemed that both sides were more content to spy on each other without being goaded into more obvious action.  He had yet to receive a return letter from Ginny as well, which he assumed meant that she believed him and had not told anyone.  That and he was sure that if something was wrong she would send him a letter via Hedwig immediately.  These factors contributed to his growing feeling of independence, until one day he awoke to realize that with all he was doing he no longer missed them and they were but a memory – a good memory, but only a memory.  

**Hogwarts, the same evening:**

"Severus, you know you are the only person I can ask to do this!"

"But Albus!  He is a fool, always has been.  He gets it from his father; his mother was never like that."

"You are prejudiced in that opinion and you know it.  Your relationship with Lily was never a secret."

"Do you have to bring that up now of all times?"

"Yes, if doing so is the only way I can get you to find her son."

"But why now, it has been six weeks at the very least.  Even if the body was a golem, he could have died somewhere else.  The fool could never mind his own business and you know it."

"He must be found now!  Even if merely to ensure his safety, he must be found!  Our future depends on it!"

            It was rare that Severus saw his mentor this worked up, and it was always over something very important.  So with a heavy heart he finally acquiesced.  

"Very well, I will go find the boy.  But if he is dead, do not come to me with your tears, I did warn you."

"Thank you Severus.  You know, maybe just once you should admit your feelings for the boy.  You love him like a son and have protected him like one since he started here.  What would be the harm in telling him this?"

"You know why, Albus.  I cannot let the Dark Lord know I have any type of feelings for the boy.  My work for the Order is too important."

"Very well, I cannot run your life.  Go then and do not delay.  Good luck and a fast wand, Severus, I fear you shall need it."


	6. Chapter 5 Sacrifices and Rewards

Author's Note: Should I put some Sifu POV in? I'm not really sure - this is my first fic so I'm afraid to make him into a cliché. Oh, and just for the record I would like to point out that, no, Harry is not an heir, all- powerful wizard, etc. The way I figure it, because he was raised Muggle and with a rather unique relationship with the wizarding world he has fewer of the preconceptions that most wizards, pureblood or not, have. So really he has the same ability as anyone else, he is just using it in a different way with more utilization of his full potential. Does that make any sense at all? I am also looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested. My e- mail is andrek82@yahoo.com.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Severus Snape made for a foreboding figure as he walked through the train terminal at the end of the Chunnel (A/N: tunnel under the English Channel connecting England and France). He had found no trace of Potter since the Gringott's withdrawal and he was growing frustrated. The way he saw it, if the boy had even a modicum of sense he would have left the British Isles altogether once he left the wizarding portion of them. The exchange of the Gringott's gold into Muggle currency seemed to bolster this idea, but Snape had yet to find any other hints of where he could be. Potter was proving to be quite elusive for a lowly Gryffindor. Until some clues were discovered, all Severus could do was get in touch with some of his old contacts from his less savory days and see if any sightings of the boy had occurred. The scar was something that most people would remember after all. He had been in Coquelles (the French end of the Chunnel) for almost three days when one of his spies learned of an abortive mugging attempt in nearby Calais that had left six members of a youth gang hospitalized and seemingly delirious, muttering about a scarred boy and a man who flew. It did not take a genius to realize that the scarred boy was none other than the lost sheep Harry Potter, but who was the man who was flying? Surely even Potter was intelligent enough to stay away from wizards so close to England. Whatever had happened, this was the first solid lead since the bank and he had to follow it. By the time he had gathered his things and arrived via bus in Calais, the two had been traced to a train bound for Marseilles that had left the day after the mugging. Without further ado, Snape was on a train following them, cursing Dumbledore and his idealistic notions about such an irresponsible boy -- even though that boy just happened to be Lily's son.  
  
Marseilles:  
  
Harry was in the best shape of his life. The early morning running was building his endurance, and Sifu had given him exercises that worked the one or two muscles that his job in the port did not. Sifu's cooking was starting to fill his skinny frame, and he could push and pull with some of the stronger dock workers now, even if his body hurt a whole lot more than theirs at the end of the day as a result. His wandless training was coming along as well. He could transfigure smaller object with ease, and the other day when Sifu had unexpectedly thrown the newspaper at him he had brought up a shield charm out of reflex, which was shocking considering he did not know how he had done it other than merely thinking it. This incident only strengthened his opinion that the wand was a crutch that wizards relied on with far too great a frequency. He was also learning more and more about himself. When the Sorting Hat had told him he could be great in Slytherin house, he had not believed it. Now, however, he was forced to reconsider the Hat's opinion. The neighborhood they were in was a decent one, but the port was a violent place. It took all his wits to stay out of the always occurring fights and brawls. He was learning to manipulate people, and this frightened him. It seemed the sort of thing that Malfoy or his father would do, not what a Gryffindor would resort to. On the other hand, he had yet to get in a fight, so perhaps there was something to the whole manipulation business after all. Maybe the ends did not justify the means, but Harry's definition of allowable means had certainly broadened recently. Sifu was a good example. Although there were still things about his past that Harry did not know, Sifu was surprisingly open on most subjects, and his opinions led Harry to believe he was a highly moral person. Just the other day, though, a crewman on one of the ships had walked into Sifu and proceeded to try to pick a fight with him. Sifu, instead of taking the invitation to brawl, had instead moved with lightning speed, disarming the man of his knife and laying him on the ground before simply walking away. Neither man had been hurt, nor had Sifu had to use a gross amount of violence, but his actions had shown the man that he could if he had to. It was a good example of the necessary uses of force, and Harry had to admit that in this case the end result did justify Sifu's action.  
  
It was with these new lessons on his mind that Harry started his morning run that bright Thursday morning. These runs had become a time when Harry could ponder things that bothered him, his mind working with the rhythm of his steps. This run was different though. It was only on the second turn when Harry came across the little boy, not more than ten or eleven years old, running as if his life depended on it. Behind were two large men, both with knives that looked like they had already been bloodied once that morning. Without even thinking about it, Harry swept the boy into his arms, sprinting with him for the next two blocks back towards his house. He then set the shaking boy down and turned around. The men were still chasing him and one of them looked to be pulling a gun out of his pocket. Harry turned again to the boy.  
  
"Hurry! Run to the third floor and knock on the door. Tell the man to let you hide there and to come down quickly!"  
  
The boy looked fearfully up at Harry and then turned and ran up the stairs. Harry sighed in relief. He was lucky the boy had not just run from him as well. The pounding of the two men had slowed and they were now shouting for him to let them at the boy. Snarling, Harry readied himself to fight them. Both men were carrying the long bladed knife usually found in the dock areas, and they carried them with the ease of those who were comfortable with their weapon. The second man had now pulled the gun out of his pocket and it was trained at Harry, although he did not look like he wanted to use it, probably due to the noise it would make rather than the thought of killing someone. The man's nervousness seemed to grow less as he realized Harry would not give them the boy. His finger tightened convulsively on the trigger, and the gun went off.  
  
It was as if time had suddenly slowed for Harry. The bullet was slowly exiting the gun, a white light coming before it. Reflexively, Harry put his hands in front if him, his only thought on stopping the bullet. Just like what had happened with the newspaper, a soft yellow glow seemed to materialize in front of his hands. The bullet, now only a few feet away, struck the shield and deflected, missing Harry completely. As the bullet sped away, time seemed to return to normal, although his heart was pumping at an extraordinary rate. The thug's eyes widened when he realized he had missed, and Harry used this shock time for his own attack.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" was Harry's cry as he pointed his hand at the gun.  
  
The weapon flew from the man's hands, striking a wall twenty feet behind him before skittering to a stop on the sidewalk. Both men were now in a state of overwhelming surprise, but they quickly came after Harry with their knives.  
  
A "Stupefy!" dropped the man who had lost his gun, and a quick sidestep took Harry out of the reach of the other man's swinging knife. Before he could do anything about him though, Sifu barreled out of the stairway, throwing the man to the ground. As the thug started to groggily rise to his feet, Sifu snap kicked his knee, sending him to the ground again with an audible popping sound. Another kick to the jaw knocked him unconscious before his screams could wake the neighborhood, leaving Harry and Sifu standing over the two vermin.  
  
They each threw one of the men over their shoulder and made their way to the police station a few blocks away. The police surrounded them as they entered the door, demanding to know what was happening. Once everyone was calmed down, the police took their statements. It took a while, but they were finally convinced that Harry and Sifu were telling the truth and allowed them to leave. It wasn't until they reached the apartment building that they remembered the boy. Without a word they quickly rushed upstairs, only to find the boy sitting at the table crying softly to himself.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Harry. "Don't worry, you're safe now."  
  
"M-M-My mother," the boy sobbed. "They killed my mother." He now looked up at the two adults with stricken eyes. "She won't be back, will she?"  
  
"If they killed her, then no she will not be back," Sifu told him quietly. "You don't know if she is dead for sure, though, maybe she will be all right."  
  
"No! I saw it all! They took her and - and they hit her with a stick and shot her too."  
  
"I'm so sorry, my boy. You can stay here until you find a place to go, if you like."  
  
The boy gave no answer, merely curling into a little ball in his chair. Tenderly, Sifu gathered him in his arms and carried him into the next room. His soft voice could be heard soothing the boy's fears. A few minutes later, a shaken Sifu came back into the kitchen.  
  
"The child will be alright," he assured Harry. He is sleeping now; it would probably be best if we do not disturb him for the time being. I am going back to the station. Hopefully they will have some news on the boy's mother and any other relatives he might have. I'll stop at the docks as well and explain to them."  
  
"That sounds good. What do you want me to do if he wakes up?"  
  
"Be there for him. That is all anyone can do right now," Sifu said sadly, walking out the door.  
  
Harry made himself a much delayed breakfast and settled in for a long day. For the next few hours he studied his books, practicing some charms and transfigurations. It was around two in the afternoon when he finally heard a noise from the other room. Silently walking in, he saw the boy restlessly tossing around under the covers, crying silently. Harry sat down next to him. He had never been in a position like this before. Growing up with the Dursley's he had little contact with smaller children, and at Hogwarts he had never taken the time to get to know them, especially with the Creevey brothers running around. All he could think of doing was holding the boy as he wept, a silent bastion against his fears and nightmares. Finally the child drifted back to sleep, curled in Harry's arms. It was a warming feeling, and Harry actually felt like he was wanted, not for being a hero or an athlete, but for just being human.  
  
A couple hours later, Sifu walked in, smiling to himself at the sight of Harry and the boy sleeping together. He quietly put his hand on Harry's shoulder, startling him into wakefulness.  
  
"Come out into the kitchen, will you?"  
  
Once in the other room, they sat at the table. Sifu began by telling Harry what he had learned.  
  
"The boy's name is Claude David. His mother was killed this morning by the same two men we brought in. They were trying to rob her house while her husband was at sea and she tried to resist after they threatened Claude. They killed her and went after Francis when he tried to run away. That is when he ran into you. Apparently his father isn't due for another two weeks and all his relatives are in Reims and won't be able to come down for a week at the earliest."  
  
"So what will happen to Claude?"  
  
"I know the constable and told him that we would take care of him for now. Is that all right with you?"  
  
"Yeah, it's just that one of us will have to stay home now to be with him. Won't that leave us a little short of money?"  
  
"No it shouldn't really. We've been living pretty well lately and still saving money so we should be all right. School will be starting soon anyways and you should probably go - you aren't getting out of it that easily," Sifu told Harry with a grin.  
  
"Why are you doing all of this for me? I mean we barely knew each other and you took me in and now you're going to do even more. I don't understand."  
  
"Well, look at it this way. If I was you I would want someone to do the same, and when I was in that same position, someone did. I'm just repaying an old debt."  
  
"I still don't understand, but thank you just the same."  
  
With that they remained silent for a while. Finally Sifu turned to Harry again.  
  
"You handled yourself well out there today."  
  
"I could say the same for you."  
  
"Yes, but you haven't been fighting for as long as I have. Watching you out there today made me come to a decision. You were faced with your own death as well as Claude's and could have killed both men easily yet you restrained yourself. You proved yourself worthy to learn the martial arts. I'm not saying that you have to, it will still be your decision."  
  
Harry's eyes lit up at the thought of being able to do the things Sifu had.  
  
"I'd like that a lot. I won't disappoint you."  
  
Sifu's ever present smile became somewhat intimidating.  
  
"You are absolutely right, you will not disappoint me. I won't let you." 


	7. Chapter 6 To Forge A Path Anew

Chapter 6  
To Forge a Path Anew  
  
If we don't change the direction we are going, we are likely  
to end up where we are heading.  
- Chinese Saying  
  
The next day, Harry got up and made their breakfast. It had become a ritual for the two to alternate making the meals every day. Due to his work at the Dursley's, Harry had become a passable cook, and Sifu had obviously picked up some talents of his own somewhere along the way as well. After breakfast, Sifu handed Harry a piece of paper.  
  
"Here are some things you need to do today. I have a list of exercises that you should finish so you can make up for not working, and you can do your running tonight when I get back so you don't have to leave Claude alone."  
  
"All right, is there anything else?"  
  
"No, just do these exercises and I will talk to you tonight about what we will do about training you."  
  
With that Sifu departed and Harry got down to business. He had a couple hours at the least before Claude awoke, so he could use that time for the continuation of his wandless studies. It made him nervous to do the training in the same house as someone who had no idea that magic existed, but it did not look like he had a choice. Giving up the training was not an option, and he could not just make Claude leave either. It would be a nerve-wracking few weeks until Claude's family came and claimed him, that was for sure.  
  
While he was reading, he came across a chapter titled "Déguisements Magiques". It had many charms and spells for removing or hiding various physical attributes and blemishes. Much to Harry's surprise there was a section that was on hiding scars. In all of his years at Hogwarts he had never heard anything about being able to hide his scar, but as he was finding out, Hogwarts had left many things unmentioned. Reading over the words of the incantation necessary to remove the scar, he focused his mind. "Cachez la cicatrice de la vue, et laissez-la invisible," he intoned. Finishing, he went and looked in the mirror. Much to his delight, the scar had been removed from sight, and although he could still feel it, not many people would be touching his forehead, so that would not be a problem. According to the book the spell needed to be recast every day, but at least it worked. Feeling much safer now than before, an encouraged Harry turned back to his reading.  
  
By the time Claude woke up it was mid-morning and Harry had completed his exercises. The boy walked slowly out of the common room where he had been sleeping into the bright light of the kitchen, rubbing his eyes sleepily. With a smile, Harry reached down and tousled the boy's hair.  
  
"And how was your sleep?"  
  
"Where am I?" came the confused voice.  
  
"You don't remember? I'm Harry and you are staying here until your relative come for you."  
  
"Is. Is Mommy not coming back then?"  
  
Harry reached down and nervously took the distraught boy into his arms.  
  
"No she won't be coming back. You need to be strong for her, ok? Everything will be ok."  
  
"No, it won't be ok," a petulant voice answered him. "My Mommy is gone. It won't be ok."  
  
"I know it's hard for you. Trust me though, you WILL be ok. My Mommy died too, so I know how you feel."  
  
"Your Mommy died too? Did she turn red and sticky when she died too?"  
  
"I was a baby so I don't remember, but she was killed too. A bad man came and got her just like they did yours."  
  
"Did she go to Heaven?"  
  
"Yes, and right now she is probably sitting there with your mother laughing at how silly we are being. Why don't we get you some breakfast, all right?"  
  
"All right," Claude said, his young mind already starting to forget that just yesterday they had been strangers.  
  
Harry marveled as he watched Claude devour his meal. It was obvious that he was sad, but he was holding up much better than Harry had ever expected him to. The only conclusion Harry could draw was that the shock was allowing him to forget most of the previous day's events and for this Harry was immensely grateful. It was hard enough for him knowing his parents were killed now that he was fifteen. He could not imagine what a child like Claude would feel. In a few days it would be brought home to him in a more meaningful way when his family came and got him, but for now he was grieving silently and less and less as the day wore on and more things came along to interest his curiosity.  
  
For most of the rest of the afternoon, Harry split his time between playing games with Claude and working out with the exercises Sifu had given him. They were very difficult, but as they only continued what he had already been doing, they were not impossible. By the time he had finished the exercises Sifu had gotten home, and the three of them settled down for a quiet meal together, three of life's castoffs finding comfort in each other's presence.  
  
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Sifu sat back with a smile, satisfied with a good meal and a good day's work. While he and Claude cleared the table, Harry left for his run. By the time he had returned, Sifu had finished the dishes and was as prepared as he could be for the training that lay ahead. Deciding to train Harry had been one of the most important decisions he had ever made. Ever since his break with his sensei over the proper usage of martial arts Sifu had been searching for meaning in life. Merely training day in and day out no longer satisfied him like it once had; he needed a purpose. The day in Calais when he had seen a boy willing to fight a gang rather than run had given him a reason for staying in the world, not hiding away as he once had. Despite the impeccable outer shell that exuded confidence and strength, it was obvious that Harry was troubled and lived in constant fear. Some of this had been explained when the owl appeared in their apartment, but that only encouraged him to take the boy in. He had spent his life training and studying various disciplines, knowing that one day he would pass his lessons on in turn. However, he had never really prepared for that day, content to learn from his master without actually learning how to teach. That fateful argument had changed all that. In a day he went from a student to a master, forced to take care of himself. Through all these new experiences came the knowledge that his life could end at any time, and with it the secrets that had passed down from generation to generation. The only problem was finding a suitable student; one who first, had the capability of learning, and second, could take what he learned and use it for good, not evil. Then he had met Harry. From the start he showed himself to have more than enough of the necessary intelligence. However, he needed to ensure that he would use what he learned well. Yesterday had shown that he would. To be willing to sacrifice himself for Claude and then to show the restraint in not permanently injuring two men who were obviously intent on killing him had shown his true nature, and this is what had led Sifu to his current position.  
  
He was going to teach Harry the art of peace, and to do so he needed to remember the original training he had went through some twenty-five years earlier. Due to his earlier studies, Harry had already learned many of the basic meditation exercises and was in excellent physical condition. Sifu now needed to build on that foundation, enforcing what he already knew while introducing new techniques as soon as Harry could understand them and perform them well.  
  
By the time Harry returned, sweating, but otherwise in good spirits, Sifu was ready. He had set up the living room as a makeshift dojo with a large open space in the middle. Once Harry was sitting down, Sifu gave him an introduction to his studies.  
  
"There are many types of martial arts. In fact, the term "martial arts" can mean any number of activities, from fencing to boxing to training with guns in the military. Most of the time when you hear about the martial arts you think of the Oriental versions such as aikido, kung-fu, karate-do, and jujitsu. Some martial artists like Bruce Lee became very famous to those outside the community, but many of the greatest masters such as Gichin Funakoshi and Moerihei Ueshiba are unknown by anyone but a student of one of the styles. You could spend your whole life studying just one defensive form from just one of the styles and you would still have more to learn when you died. Studying the martial arts is not about learning new ways to kill someone; it is about learning who you are. Once you learn who you are you can do things you would have thought impossible. Many styles teach various forms with the object of making you a better competitor. Personally, I don't care if you can beat every other martial artist there is; if you can control yourself you are a master. I will teach you a variant of several styles, mostly a combination of aikido and Northern Shaolin Kung fu. Everything you go through in training I have done at one point or another in my own, so don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have. This will be much more informal than most dojos, mostly because you are my only student; and also because I don't think you should necessarily do something only because I say to, you need to understand it as well. The only formality I will be a stickler on is you calling me Sensei. It is a Japanese word that roughly translated means Teacher, and it is what you will refer to me as when we do your lessons, alright? Tonight we are only going to cover the very basics - etiquette and the horse stance should do. You ready?"  
  
With that Sifu started working on bows and the horse stance. It was slow work, but by the time they were done Harry could properly execute a formal bow and settle into a correct horse stance. Sifu was a hard teacher, but he was fair and open to any questions Harry had, and the lessons passed quickly.  
  
Before Harry knew it, it was Friday again. By day Sifu was working while Harry stayed with Claude, and by night Harry trained with Sifu. By the time the next Friday came around, life had once more settled into a routine with Claude as the new member of the family. However, this would not last, as they were expecting Claude's family that evening. The dinner was unusually quiet with all three of them a little tense about the upcoming meeting. At about seven, there came a knock at the door.  
  
"I'll get it," Sifu said as he rose from his chair. "It's probably them."  
  
He opened the door, revealing a middle-aged couple standing there.  
  
"Hello, you must be Jean. I am Louis Marceau and this is my wife Marie. We are here for Claude."  
  
"Yes, we've been expecting you," Sifu replied. "Won't you come in?"  
  
The couple entered the room, taking in the interior with sharp-eyed glances that Harry found unnerving. Seeing them, Claude gave a start.  
  
"They aren't my aunt and uncle!" he cried.  
  
In a flash the Marceaus drew wands. Harry jumped with a start. 'Wizards, here? They couldn't know who he was, could they?'  
  
"Don't move, either of you! These wands will kill you, stupid muggles," Louis snarled.  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed. So they did not know who he was after all! Why were they here then?  
  
"What do you want?" he asked.  
  
"The boy, of course. He saw things he shouldn't have, and we are going to take care of it. Of course you know we can't let you leave now either. The Dark Lord will be pleased that this was so easy."  
  
"The Dark Lord?" Sifu's voice asked.  
  
"Yes, the Dark Lord. Don't worry, you will know his name soon enough. Or your neighbors will, I doubt you will be around to recognize it," Marie said with a laugh.  
  
Harry was growing frightened. Sure, there were probably other "Dark Lords" running around, but this was more than likely Voldemort himself. But why did they want Claude? He had not said anything about magic. One thing was for sure though. They could not have Claude, and looking over at Sifu he saw they were in agreement. A nod was all it took for them to spring into action. Almost at the same time they leaped in opposite directions. Marie's wand swung to bear on Harry as he jumped, and a quickly muttered shield spell was all that stood between him and the shouted 'Crucio!' Sifu's leap, meanwhile, took him straight into the door jamb a few feet from Louis. As his foot connected a meter off the floor, Sifu spun, his kick driving the wind out of a shocked Louis as he tried to bring up his wand. The man fell backwards, his shoulders driving into Marie's knees. Seizing his chance, Harry sprang forward, driving an elbow into her throat. With scarcely a noise she toppled, the rattling in her throat sounding like she was at Death's door. Her husband screamed in rage, leaping at Harry with arm's out stretched. In response, Harry raised his hand.  
  
"Stupefy!" he yelled. Without a word, Louis fell as well, leaving Harry and Sifu standing over two bodies for the second time in just over a week.  
  
"Wizards?" Sifu asked.  
  
"Yeah. These are the bad guys."  
  
"I kind of figured that with the Dark Lord part. Is he the one."  
  
"Yes, they were probably talking about Voldemort, but I don't understand why he is here. He should be in England."  
  
"Maybe he isn't here, and they are just some of his agents. If he is as powerful as you told me, he probably has his claws all over the world."  
  
"True, but that doesn't make me feel any better. I guess I should try a memory charm on them. I've never done one before though, so I'm not making any promises."  
  
"Wait a second. Are you saying that we shouldn't take them to the police? And what is a memory charm?"  
  
"First, they are wizards, so no little cell will hold them, especially once their master finds out. Of course they will be dead then, Voldemort is not the easiest person to get along with. Second, a memory charm removes a certain amount of a person's short term memory. The only problem is I have only seen them done; I have never performed one myself. I might get it right and I might not, it's a chance I think we have to take."  
  
"I guess I see your point. Well, go ahead, do it then."  
  
Closing his eyes, Harry tried to remember how to use the 'Obliviate" spell. He knew it removed memory, but almost nothing more than that. Unfortunately, since he could not ask someone else to do it, he needed to do it himself and do it right the first time. He squatted down next to the two unconscious wizards. Shakily, he put his hand on Marie's head. He had no idea if distance did anything, but it made sense to get as close as possible. Visualizing Marie's mind as empty of memories, Harry cast the spell. There was no reaction, but there was no way to tell until they awoke, so he moved on to Louis, repeating his actions. With that they removed the two bodies to an alley behind the apartment, a shaken and quiet Claude creeping behind them. With the three of them hiding behind a corner, Marie and Louis began to stir.  
  
"Where am I?" Louis asked, glancing at his wife. "And who are you?"  
  
"What do you mean who am I! I wake up with a strange man and you ask who I am? Who are you and what have you done to me?"  
  
"I've done nothing! Leave me alone, woman, you're touched!"  
  
"Hah! You are too, obviously!"  
  
And with that, the two of them went in opposite directions down the alley, not looking back. Laughing quietly, Harry and Sifu turned to go, taking the still dazed Claude with them. Once they reached the apartment, Claude turned to Harry.  
  
"You're like them, aren't you," he said matter-of-factly.  
  
"No, I am not like them. I can do magic, but no I am not evil like they are. Or were anyways, I doubt they know what they are now, I think I went a little overboard with that charm."  
  
"You won't hurt me then?"  
  
"Of course not! I'm a good wizard, Claude. Besides, who would I play with then?"  
  
Claude smiled shyly. "I guess nobody. But you had better be nice to me, or I'll make Sifu hurt you!"  
  
Both Harry and Sifu were laughing with him now. "Oh I'll remember that, don't worry!"  
  
A/N: Just a little further explanation on my view of the wandless magic that Harry is using. It's probably a moot point to say that the Obliviate charm is a little beyond Harry's grade level, so I won't. The reason I have him being able to use it is that although he has no wand and no formal training in the charm he is able to do it because the powers of his mind compensate for the other deficiencies. If you know anything about electricity, chemistry, etc., you know that there is no such thing as a perfect conductor. In other words, no matter how good a wire that carries electricity is insulated, not all of the electricity makes it from Point A to Point B. In some instances the beginning and ending energy levels can be so close together as to be virtually identical, while in others the energy losses are astronomical, obviously depending on the materials being used. My theory is that a wand would function like either a conductor or a capacitor. (A capacitor stores energy and releases it in one burst while a conductor merely facilitates the direct flow of current.) Magic is the current in this example, and given the relatively hit or miss method that seems to be applied to wand making (eg some wands being better at charms or transfigurations than others), I figure it can be assumes that the wand does not transfer the entire magic being put out by the user into the specific spell being cast. The way I figure it, it logically follows that if someone could properly attune their mind to perform wandless magic, they could potentially utilize almost 100% of their magic in each spell, assuming that only a miniscule amount is lost in the air between the caster and the target. This is why Harry could use Obliviate. He had been meditating, training his mind in the proper neurological pathways that were most conducive for magic, and all he had to do was focus on what he wanted to do while his training did the rest. This will come into play later in the story as well, although it will be assumed that you have read this part and any mention of it will be in author's notes that refer the reader back to this. If I feel further explanations are needed I will take care of them then, but in the meantime, enjoy the story! As a side note, REVIEW!!! IT MAKES ME HAPPY!!! ( 


	8. Chapter 7 Veni, Vidi, Vicci

Disclaimer: Hmm, seventh chapter and I just realized I didn't have one. Anyways, I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does. The other stuff is mine - mostly.  
  
I have to give props to Ters, my beta here. He's got great ideas and awesome research. Makes me lazy. Also, thanks for all the reviews, they're great. More reviews = more happy. Peace y'all and enjoy the story.  
  
Chapter 7  
Veni, Vidi, Vici  
(I came, I saw, I conquered)  
  
Severus Snape walked through the alley, his cloak protecting him from curious eyes. This area of Marseille was much too open for his tastes, and there were far too many muggles. Unlike London with its segregated Diagon Alley, the wizarding community of Marseille coexisted with everyone else. This made it much more difficult to try tracing wizards, and it resulted in Severus' current bad mood. Not a single store had seen Potter. The boy had to have gone somewhere; it just was not like him to disappear entirely. As he exited the alley, merging into the muggle thoroughfare, he paused. Just ahead of him was the last person he wanted to see right now - Lucius Malfoy. Any other time Severus would be able to explain away his presence, but traveling to France of all places just for potions ingredients would not satisfy someone as smart as Malfoy was. Snarling to himself, Severus slid into the closest store, waiting for Malfoy to disappear around the next corner. Disappear he did, but not around the corner. Instead, Lucius entered a small storefront. Squinting his eyes against the mid-afternoon glare, Snape read the sign: "Howden's Books - Spellcasting from the Ancients". Resigned to waiting now, Severus pulled a book from a nearby shelf, thumbing through it as he pretended to read.  
  
About ten minutes later, Lucius Malfoy came out of the store, his arrogant stride opening a way through the crowd as he moved down the street. After he was gone from sight, Severus eased his way into the now almost empty shop.  
  
"Can I help you, sir?" the old man at the counter asked.  
  
"Yes, I was wondering if you had seen a boy in here lately. About."  
  
"15 years old, dark hair, bright green eyes, and a scar on his forehead, right?" the old man finished.  
  
For the first time in years, Severus Snape was at a loss for words. "Umm. yes, that's the boy."  
  
"Well then, just like I told the other man, yes, I saw him. He was in about two or three weeks ago I think it was. I thought he was a muggle at first, but he came in and took some of my oldest books."  
  
"What books?"  
  
"How much is it worth to you? The other man was willing to pay 250 galleons for the information. Can you match that?"  
  
"Hah! No one would pay 250 galleons for such a small amount of news. 100 galleons!"  
  
"225!"  
  
"150!"  
  
"210!"  
  
"175!"  
  
The old man looked positively gleeful as he shouted "Done!"  
  
"Here you are then," Severus growled, handing over the money. "What were the books about?"  
  
"Wandless magic, of course!"  
  
"What? What could he possibly do with books like that? The concentration required for something like wandless magic is nothing he could ever hope to accomplish."  
  
"I don't know about that, he seemed a very determined young man. It just might be that you are underestimating him, just like the other gent did. What is so important about the boy that not one but two people come after him in the same day?"  
  
"The same day? Was the other man tall with light blonde hair?"  
  
"Why yes, that's the one. Left just before you did, as a matter of fact. Seemed to be in a hurry too; didn't have half as much fun setting a price with him."  
  
"I have to go," Severus said, moving towards the door. If Malfoy was after Potter, than obviously Voldemort was searching for him as well, and if the books the boy had bought were any indication, he now had a place permanent enough to study. It was surprising that Potter could even come up with an idea like that, let alone carry it out. Of course, being basically a muggle-born wizard he did not know the difficulties and dangers inherent in wandless magic. If he had already blown himself up there would be hell to pay, Snape realized. An angry and distraught Albus Dumbledore was not the sort of thing a person pondered lightly.  
  
Leaving a slightly depressed shop owner behind him, Severus dashed out of the store. If Potter was living here in Marseille, and there was no indication he had left, his house must be within walking distance. Starting in a spiral around the store, Severus worked through the streets, marking down apartments and houses on a small map of the area. It was long work, but by the end of the day he had narrowed the map down to six blocks where the boy was likely to be. Now if only he could get there before Malfoy did.  
  
Harry rolled out of bed with a groan. He had sore muscles on top of sore muscles, and getting up early did not help any. Mentally suppressing the pain, Harry walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. A few minutes later he was sitting with Sifu eating breakfast, a fresh cup of tea having gone a long way towards waking him up. No matter how confident he was in his removal of the Death Eaters' memories yesterday, it was probable that they would not be the last. Whatever Claude had seen, it had been enough to catch the attention of Voldemort or one of his lieutenants, and that was not a good thing. It had been Harry's experience that the more something was denied Voldemort, the more he wanted it, now matter how much it hurt him. Why else would he constantly try to get Harry? If Claude were in the same position it would be much worse and probably a much shorter chase due to Claude's apparent lack of magical ability. Harry sighed. It seemed that no matter where he went he ended up having to save someone. The stupid hat should have put him in Hufflepuff since they were supposed to be so loyal. Of course, the hat had wanted to place him in Slytherin as well and he definitely had the qualities that would make him fit in there, so maybe it was just that Gryffindor had been the best place at the time, for all the good it did him now. Throwing all disgruntled thoughts about the hat aside, Harry turned to meet the day. Hogwarts was no longer a part of his life, and although he had some fond memories of it, he did not miss it. Here he could learn more and do it faster with the added bonus of not being famous. Yes, it was definitely better.  
  
The day went by quickly with taking care of Claude and studying. Now that Claude knew about him being a wizard, Harry could study during the day. In fact, his knowing had actually helped, since Harry could play with Claude and practice at the same time, using his growing skills to throw pillows at the giggling boy. The day passed quickly and Sifu returned. After supper, Harry went out for a run while Sifu and Claude cleaned up. As he ran, his mind wandered, and his preoccupation led him down streets he did not normally use. By the time he had stopped daydreaming, he found himself in front of the old bookstore. It was almost 7:00, and the streets were normally filled with shoppers and sightseers. Tonight, however, things were different. Few people walked the streets, and who did seemed nervous, looking around them as if suspecting an attack but not knowing why. A nameless dread hit Harry like a sharp blow to the head, but he fought it down, settling into a relaxation technique. The feeling was almost like the anti-muggle barriers had been described to him, but why would he feel something like that if he was a wizard; and why would one be in the middle of a normally crowded area? Cautious now, he eased back into a shadowed alley, trying to find out what was wrong.  
  
To an outside observer, Harry disappeared into the shadows, disappearing completely. Almost automatically he was exuding "See-Me-Not" charms, and his training allowed him to move as silently as a cat. He quickly climbed a fire escape and perched himself on a ledge with a perfect view of the street below. Unlike most days, there were no groups of people below, just the nervous pedestrians he had noticed before. There was on exception, though. Not ten meters from the bookstore stood a group of five figures in dark hooded cloaks. Now that was something that was familiar. He had seen the same figures in his nightmares and in the graveyard -- Deatheaters. He quietly maneuvered himself into position almost directly above the men, listening to their conversation.  
  
"We know the boy was here within the past month, and he would not buy as much as he did if he did not live in the area. Spread out, all of you, and find him. Look for traces of stray magic. If we finish this tonight and bring him back, the Dark Lord will be pleased. Go!"  
  
There was no response from the other men as they slipped away into the surrounding streets. Only the one who had spoken remained, strengthening the wards. Once the other four men were out of sight, Harry lifted a board lying there on the rook and, having protected himself with a hastily performed cushioning charm, leapt off the roof behind the deatheater. As he fell, Harry swung with all his might, striking the other man in the back of his head. As he crumpled to the ground, Harry looked around, making sure no one had seen anything. The few people on the street were much too busy trying to get off it and had noticed nothing unusual, so Harry dragged his quarry into the alley. Once there, he readied himself to use Obliviate again. Using his last attempt as a starting point, he focused this time on removing memories of one thing: Voldemort. Focusing on everything he knew about Voldemort leaving the man's head, Harry cast the spell. "Obliviate!" Now there was nothing to do but hope it had worked, so Harry left in search of the others, taking to the rooftops again.  
  
A block away Harry came upon another of the deatheaters using his wand like a Geiger counter to detect traces of magic. Swinging off the fire escape behind him, Harry felled the man with a snap kick to the head and obliviated him as well. The third deatheater had gone in the opposite direction and was obviously not happy about doing the grunt work. When Harry found him he was sitting on a stoop while muttering curses to himself. With his back to the door, there was no way Harry could take this man from behind. Belatedly remembering that he was in disguise, Harry settled on a new course of action. Sliding into the street he walked towards the deatheater. Seeing a defenseless muggle coming towards him, the man stood up. Here was some fun! Stepping in front of the boy, the man drew his wand.  
  
What happened next was not what any self respecting deatheater could look back on with pride. The supposedly harmless muggle had teeth. Even before the wand was raised the boy had stepped inside its arc, catching it and snapping an elbow back into the man's solar plexus at the same time. Spinning, he twisted the man's wrist, sending him to the ground and causing him to release the wand, which the boy caught. The deatheater was in abject terror now. What muggle knew about wands, and what wizard could move like that? Unless... no, it couldn't be him. There was no scar, no black hair, no look of naiveté on this boy. Instead there was a man; someone with confidence and composure and the skills to back them up.  
  
"Who are you?" he grated out.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know? But you won't. I'm not like Voldemort," a sharp intake of breath from the prone man at the name. "Yes, I know your so-called Dark Lord, but I won't sit here being foolish and spilling all my secrets to fallen prey. Obliviate!"  
  
And the man knew no more.  
  
The shadow that was Harry Potter flitted across the top of the city once again. Three down, two to go. It was very helpful of Voldemort to be so hung up on purebloods. Any self respecting muggle born or half blood would have been expecting a physical attack, but these purebloods with their anti-muggle fervor seemed like they could not even grasp the concept. It was sad, but it helped Harry a lot on his nighttime quest. The shadows were finally outpacing the light as the sun fell when Harry found the fourth deatheater. He too was focusing on his waving wand in front of him. If it had not been so serious, Harry would have laughed at the horror the deatheater must have felt when the "Stupefy!" behind him made the wand point at his own stomach.  
  
It took Harry the better part of half an hour to find the last deatheater, and this one right away seemed different. The others had not bothered with hiding at all, but this one flitted from shadow to shadow like a ghost. He moved like a fighter, and to make matters worse, his wand was already out. When Harry was still a good thirty meters away the deatheater stopped.  
  
"Who's there?" he called in English. When Harry did not reply, he continued. "I know you're out there, I can smell you. Next time stay upwind from someone. That is, if there is a next time."  
  
Harry sighed. It looked like this would have to be done the hard way. If he could, he would leave the man, something about him spoke danger. However, if he went back and found all his companions missing it would be just as bad as if Harry had let them find his house. Finally he gave into the man's game.  
  
"What do you want here?"  
  
"A wizard, boy, a wizard."  
  
"What's a wizard?" Harry replied. Maybe if he played dumb he would get another chance at surprising the man.  
  
"Don't play dumb with me, boy. I know you are a wizard yourself. You stink of magic."  
  
"How can you tell?"  
  
"Because I'm not human. You think a pitiful human could have found you out that easily? You were doing pretty well for a beginner."  
  
"What are you then?"  
  
"There is no point in you knowing, you'll never benefit from the knowledge."  
  
With no further warning, the man spun, sending a ball of fire into the roof not two meters away from Harry. Harry fell with a grunt of surprise as the stone crumbled, landing in a crouch on the street below. As he rolled away, a flurry of spells swept towards him. It was all he could do to stay ahead of the deatheater's wand, his shields barely holding under the ones he could not avoid. Finally one broke through, a numbing spell striking his legs sending him falling towards the ground. As he fell, he thrust out his hand in desperation. "Obliviate!" Amazingly enough, it worked. The man's wand arm fell to his side and he stumbled for a moment before regaining his feet. Without saying a word he apparated away, leaving Harry in the empty street behind him. 


	9. Chapter 8 To Learn the Impossible

**Chapter 8**

**To Learn the Impossible**

He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.

~Confucius

            Harry picked himself up off the street in amazement.  Had it worked?  Did his 'Obliviate' really get through?  If it had, then that had to be his luckiest moment ever, not counting his grabbing the portkey in the graveyard.  Shivering in anticipation of what could have happened he made his way back to the apartment.  There was no doubt about it; he had gotten off easily tonight.  He made his way back to the apartment expecting to be attacked at any moment.  After what seemed like hours to his deadened limbs he arrived.  Stumbling in the door, he made his excuses to Sifu and plunged exhausted into bed.

_            The fire's glare reflected in the red eyes of the Dark Lord.  _

_"Wormtail," he hissed, "bring Lucius to me."_

_"Yes, Master."_

_            A moment later another man entered the room._

_"Master?"_

_"Lucius, you have failed me."_

_"Master!  The men I sent were your chosen!  I did my…"_

_"Crucio!"_

_            Lucius' screams filled the room, echoed by Voldemort's laughter._

_"What news on the boy?" Voldemort asked, releasing Lucius from the spell._

_"N-none, my Lord.  All five men were obliviated and the memory blocks cannot be removed.  Only Schatten remembers anything.  He claims to have fought a vampire or some other creature that moved like one, but that is impossible.  No vampire would attack one of your servants, Master."_

_"True.  Your incompetence will not be fully punished.  Do not fail me again, however, or you will not survive.  We will leave Marseille alone for now.  Whatever prowls its streets has not harmed us here and we have more important things to attend to.  Leave me!"_

_"Yes, Master."_

_"Wormtail, I have something for you to do."_

_"Yes, Master?"_

_"Scream.  Crucio!"_

            Harry awoke with a start, the pain in his scar almost overwhelming.  Breathing deeply Harry settled into one of the meditation exercises he had learned, willing the pain to go away.  When it was finally bearable, he let out the breath he was holding with a hiss.  Why did the dreams have to start again?  At least this had been helpful and no one had died.  If Voldemort was leaving him alone it would be safe to remain here.  As the pain slowly faded, a relieved Harry went back to sleep.

            The next few days went by in a blur.  Sifu never asked why Harry had been in such bad shape that night, and Harry never told him.  He trusted Sifu with his life, yes, but this was not Sifu's burden to bear, it was Harry's.  The routine of watching Claude, studying, and training at night came as a relief from the stress of the previous days, and before he knew it, they were going to register the two boys for school.  

            École Secondaire de Chambroid was an impressive looking school, with a brick façade facing the street.  Harry entered the building nervously with Claude and Sifu close behind.  They had already enrolled Claude at a local primary school and now needed to enter Harry into his classes.  Being fifteen, Harry would have one more year to decide what his selected studies were going to be.  For now he just needed to take basic classes covering math, science, grammar, and history.   The math and science would not be too much of a problem, he had had a basic coverage of them back in Little Whinging, but the grammar and history would obviously be French, something he had no experience with.  His books on wandless magic were in French, of course, but the grammar was very out of date, and he certainly had not learned modern French working on the docks.  The placement test proved this.  As expected, he scored well in all subjects but grammar and history.  The instructor who gave the test, Professor Raines, assured him that with work he could make it into the more advanced classes in the latter part of the year.  As he was a foreign student (they had introduced him as Sifu's nephew who had just moved to Marseille from England), there were tutors who taught French as a Second Language courses.  

            Once he was registered in all his classes, the three of them left the school.  He was in the normal classes for everything but grammar, where he was in the remedial class as well as being signed up with a tutor.  The remedial class made Harry nervous, as he was sure he would be with all the bullies and their followers in the school.  There was no doubt he could take any one who came at him, the past weeks of solid training had guaranteed that.  The problem was to do it without hurting them.  To injure someone who could not injure you in turn was to sow the seeds of violence, and that was the first thing Sifu had drilled into his head when training started.  However, he would take that bridge when he came to it.  For now, the only thing on his mind was lunch.  

            As they were walking down the street, Harry watched for signs of wizards as he usually did.  There were a few walking here and there, but as they were mostly families and couple out for a mid-afternoon stroll, he dismissed them.  When they turned a corner onto the main thoroughfare, he paused.  There, in plain sight, was a man wearing a black cloak, his face obscured by a large hood.  The man was quite obviously ill at ease in the crowd, and his hand was just as obviously holding his wand inside his cloak.  The other hand a small prism that was flashing various colors as people walked past.  Just at that instant a wizarding family walked by, causing it to flash a brilliant red.  Harry's eyes narrowed as he realized this must be a crude form of magic detector.  He did not know who or what the man was looking for, but in the aftermath of the past few days it was best to be cautious.  Without a word he turned, grabbing Sifu and Claude as he headed back into the winding streets.  

            Severus Snape was frustrated.  First the Potter boy had the gall to be like his father, and then he had to go and run off, and now he was not letting himself be found.  And Dumbledore!  As much as Severus respected him, he was definitely not on his good list for sending him on this hopeless quest.  Why bother with it in the first place?  If Potter wanted to leave his protection with all the people who were after him, his blood was on his own head.  Stupid Gryffindors could not leave well enough alone, that was the problem.  

            Sighing in disgust he pocketed the Magiscope and walked up the street.  He had decided this would be the most likely place to spot Potter, but four hours of standing there had been for naught.  The morning had been similarly worthless, spent trying to convince stupid muggles that he was not a salesman and just wanted to know if they had new neighbors.  The dogs had not helped either.  Three times he had been attacked by a dog after its master decided he did not like him.  Three!  And he could not use magic!  What a perfectly awful day he thought, heading to the next location.  Maybe the third time was the charm.

            A couple of hours after he saw Snape, Harry finally made it back to the apartment.  He had not even tried to explain to Sifu why he turned around, just gave him a story about wanting to go to a particular restaurant.  After eating at the restaurant, which just happened to be almost ten blocks away from where Snape was, they finally made it home, tired and ready for the night to end.  Sifu, however, had other ideas.  He decided that since Harry had not practiced as much as he should have the past few days he needed an extra hard lesson to make up for it.  Working for the past few weeks had given Sifu a large number of exercises to use on Harry and he used them all.  Starting off with the generic strength and flexibility exercises, he quickly moved into the horse-riding stance and various strikes and blocks.  He then started Harry practicing his throws.  This was the most enjoyable part of the workout, although Harry was on the floor for half of it as Sifu demonstrated the techniques.  The basic holds and disarming forms were easy to perform, but the techniques Sifu was showing him were unbelievable.  All Sifu had to do was hold Harry's hand and he was making him do whatever he wanted him to do.  The only noises were Harry hitting the floor and Claude gasping when it happened.  Sifu's explanations did not help, as he was demonstrating them with almost superhuman finesse.  Finally, Harry stopped.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Sifu asked.

"Everything!  I mean, you make the throws look so easy, and when I try to get out of a hold it is like you are moving before I think about it.  Are you sure you aren't a wizard?"

"Yes, I am positive.  Much of what I can do comes from an inordinate amount of practice.  I know what you are doing because in the close quarter's situation I can feel your muscles tense and when I cannot feel that, I can see where you look before you move." 

"But still, you are so good!"

"Well, almost a quarter of a century of practice does tend to help a little," Sifu replied with a smile.  

"I suppose it might.  Do you really expect me to do what you just did, though?"

"Of course not.  I am just showing you what can be done.  You would need a lot of practice.  In two or three years of hard and constant study you will know almost all the techniques I could show you, but you would have still only just begun your training.  Martial arts, especially what you are learning, are more than techniques, or katas, or palgays, or whatever you want to call them.  They are called the martial arts because they are just that, forms of art.  The greatest sensei ever can still learn something, and no matter how long he lives that will always be the case.  What you need to learn more than anything is the state of mind.  If you believe something can happen and possess the necessary skills and training to think about attempting it, you can do it.  Watch."

            With that Sifu launched into the most awesome display of aerial acrobatics Harry had ever seen off of a broom.  His body was a blur, moving forward and back, up and down, right and left, as he fought off dozens of imaginary attackers.  Finally he stopped, barely even breathing hard.

Harry's voice was shaking as he asked, "What was that?"

"That," said Sifu with obvious pride, "was a form I developed after realized the truth of what I just told you.  I had been studying in a small dojo and one day I was reading a book about o-sensei Moerihei Ueshiba.  There were many accounts of phenomenal feats he had done that should not have been possible, but one in particular affected me greatly.  It said that once he was challenged by a team of army sharpshooters to prove his claim that bullets could not touch him.  They lined up six of them on the firing line with o-sensei about 25 meters away.  As one they fired, and in the smoke from the guns o-sensei appeared behind them, throwing one of them before they realized he was there.  He explained to his student, Shioda, that he saw the first bullet as preceded by a white light of energy from the gun, and he merely avoided it like a strike.  He then leapt to bridge the gap and attacked the shooter with a simple grappling move.  This showed me that many things we think impossible are just highly improbable, and that is very different."

"Wait," Harry interrupted, "Is that really true?"

"Yes, it is a true story.  Shioda went on to become a highly respected aikido master in his own right and only died a couple of years ago.  He was there at the demonstration and personally vouched for its veracity."

"So if I believe I can do it and have the proper state of mind, I can dodge bullets?  Is that what you are saying?"

"Yes, that is what I mean.  To be able to do it you have to believe though.  If you did not believe you magic existed, could you do more than accidents in extreme stress?  If you did not believe you could walk, could you walk?  All we do in life requires a leap of faith.  As I once heard it said, 'Faith by its very nature must transcend logic'.  When I realized this it opened many new doors for me.  It caused problems ads well though, because my sensei did not hold with my view and I ended up having to leave when I refused to give up my belief that he was holding back his own progress.  I probably could have phrased it better when I told him that, I suppose, but if I had, I would have never met you and had my theories proven."

"How did I prove your theories?"

"By being a wizard.  I never believed in magic, but you did, and look what you can do.   Your studies prove it as well.  I have looked at the various books you have, and from what little I understand, they all point conclusively to the same thing.  To do this wandless magic as you call it you must truly believe, and only by believing can you achieve the proper state of mind.  Yes, my meditation exercises probably helped a bit, but your belief planted the first seeds, and that is what I needed to see.  After that it was the least I could do to attempt to show you the same."

"Well, thank you, I think.  I need to think a while about this before I figure it out.  That's a lot to hear at one time, you know?"

"Yes it is, and for that I apologize, but your circumstances are somewhat different from a normal person's, and I think you will be able to handle it.  That is enough for tonight.  To train the body is good for you health, to train you mind is good for your awareness, but only by training both can you achieve enlightenment.  Sleep well; we will talk more on this in the morning."

            Sleep was the last thing on Harry's mind though.  To be able to anything just because you believed it possible was a pretty hard idea to get hit with. Obviously he was not going to go out and jump in front of a car because he believed it would not hurt him, but to be able to attempt the improbable and succeed was an enticing prospect.  There was one thing that bothered him though.  When, not if, he confronted Voldemort, would belief stop the inevitable Aveda Kedavra?  It was with this disturbing thought that his tired body finally succumbed to sleep, dreaming of the impossible.

Author's Notes:

Thanks to all the reviewers, they mean a lot.  Hopefully this will hold all you impatient ones for a day or two lol.  I have a huge thank you for my beta, Ters; he put a lot of work in for this one.  Keep reviewing!!

Disclaimer:

Once again, I own nothing here but the computer I typed it on.


	10. Chapter 9 Learning is a Lifetime

Chapter 9  
Learning is a Lifetime  
  
Practice of the Art of Peace enables you to rise above praise or blame, and  
it frees you from attachment to this and that.  
- Moerihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido  
  
The morning of September second was bright and warm, with just enough of a cool breeze to show that fall was on the way. Harry apprehensively mounted the steps of École Secondaire de Chambroid and entered the door. He quickly made his way down the hall through the milling students to his first class, sitting down in an empty chair in the back. A few moments later a teacher entered the room.  
  
"Good morning, class. I am Professor Lapres and I will be teaching history this year. We will be studying the period between the English invasion and the expansion of the Napoleonic Empire. Before we begin, however, I will have each of you stand in turn and tell a little about yourself. We will start right here in front. You may stand.  
  
"Hi, my name is Daniel and I play soccer."  
  
"I'm Madeleine. I like to listen to music and watch romance movies."  
  
The room slowly introduced itself. Finally it was Harry's turn. Nervously he stood.  
  
"My name is Harry and I just moved here from England."  
  
As he sat down he could hear some giggles over his accent but he ignored them, trying to remember as many names as possible. After the introductions the class ran smoothly, and it was soon time for chemistry. When he entered the room, Harry was pleased to notice that the teacher was Professor Raines, the man who had been so nice to him before. What made the class especially nice was that Raines made sure he talked so Harry could understand him and seemed very open to questions from the students. It was quite a change from potions, and that in itself made chemistry a great class. The only other class he had before lunch was grammar, and that was just about the uses of nouns and verbs so it was not that difficult. With that it was time for lunch. Upon entering the cafeteria, Harry was inundated by the ceaseless chatter.  
  
Taking out his meal that he had prepared that morning, he sat down in a corner by himself and began to eat. As he ate he saw a group coming his way out of the corner of his eye. The boy in front was nowhere near as big as Dudley had been, but he carried himself like Harry's cousin and the people behind him like his gang. Now knowing what was going to happen, Harry relaxed and readied himself for the worst.  
  
"Hey, kid!" the boy in front said. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"  
  
Harry turned to fully face him.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I want kids like you out of this school. We don't like your kind here, acting like you're the best."  
  
"What do you mean, my kind?"  
  
"I mean you English people. We don't want you here."  
  
"I'm sorry you feel like that but I plan on staying. Hopefully we can be friends."  
  
"Friends? The only thing you are going to be friends with is the ground!"  
  
As they spoke, the cafeteria had plunged into silence as people watched the inevitable fight begin. The boy's group had surrounded the two of them in a loose circle, leaving them room, but also ensuring that Harry could not get away. This led to Harry being very aware of what was going on around him, so he was ready when the other boy's fist came flying at his face. Instinctively Harry's forearm swept it away and he rose, moving within the boy's reach. Catching the other arm as it came up, Harry spun and twisted the arm to the outside. Stepping on the boy's foot now, Harry gave a quick tug on the captured arm, sending the boy tumbling to the ground. Harry jumped on top of the boy, his knee in his back to prevent him from getting up. This had taking two seconds, if that, and the stunned silence surrounding him told Harry everything he needed to know about the size of his audience. Slowly he stood up and made his way out of the school, the gang being too shocked over their leader's defeat to present much of a threat. Sighing in disgust he sat down on the steps. Was it too much to ask that he have a normal school life? Not even a day and he was already famous again.  
  
The door behind him creaked as someone came through it.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
Harry swiveled sideways. Beside him was a girl, just sitting down on the step beside him.  
  
"Yeah, I'm alright. I didn't want this to happen here though.  
  
"Well, it wasn't your fault. You scared a lot of people in there you know."  
  
"Including you?"  
  
"Not really. My older brother studies wing-chun Kung Fu. What you did was similar to things I have seen him practicing. My name is Inès by the way. And you are."  
  
"Harry. I'm new here obviously. I live with my uncle right now."  
  
"Well, Harry, it's nice to meet you. Don't worry about all the kids in there. It's just that no one has ever stood up to Gaston like that before, let alone beat him. You seem like a nice guy, they'll come around."  
  
"Why do you seem to trust me then? Most people wouldn't want to hang out with someone as dangerous as me," Harry said with a smile.  
  
"You didn't seem that bad. I was in your chemistry class and Professor Raines usually isn't that nice to people unless they are nice too, so I figure you have to be okay. Besides, you didn't hurt Gaston like you could have. Only a decent person would stop like that when they were in control."  
  
"You sound like you put a lot of effort into analyzing me."  
  
"Of course I did. You were the only interesting person in class that I don't know already."  
  
"Well I don't know whether to be flattered or worried here. It's."  
  
Abruptly a voice came from behind them.  
  
"Mr. Poitier, will you come with me please?"  
  
Harry turned around. A teacher stood behind him at the door.  
  
"Of course. I'll see you around Inès."  
  
"Bye, Harry!" she called out brightly, seemingly oblivious to his precarious position as he entered the school.  
  
Harry followed the teacher, wondering what would happen to him now. Even if the fight wasn't his fault, he had finished it, and it probably would not look good to the teachers for him to be in one on the first day of school. After going through several halls, the two of them entered a room containing several teachers seated around a conference table. The teacher who had gone to get him sat down in an empty seat and gestured towards the one remaining.  
  
"Please sit down Mr. Poitier. Now, I am sure you know why you are here today. There seems to be some confusion over the events in the cafeteria a few minutes ago. Would you care to explain them to us?"  
  
"It wasn't my fault, I swear!"  
  
"Calm down Mr. Poitier. No one is accusing you here. We merely want to know the truth of the matter at hand."  
  
"Well, I was sitting there eating lunch and these guys came over and one of them was saying things about me and then he tried to punch me. I stopped him and took him down. I didn't hurt him much, did I? I stopped as soon as he was down and left. That's when you found me."  
  
"Very well then Mr. Poitier. That is essentially what many other students told us as well. As for The other boy, he is all right, merely stunned. Do not worry; he shall be taken care of. We will not tolerate fighting in this school. Even though you were defending yourself, we cannot have you fighting here. Is that clear?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am. I will try to stay out of fights in the future."  
  
"Very good. That will be all, Mr. Poitier. You may leave."  
  
Harry left the room warily. He had expected a detention, if not expulsion for fighting. After all, if this were Hogwarts he would be cleaning toilets or something just as bad, if not worse. It was with relief that he made it out the door without getting called back. Next period was a study hall, so he slipped into a corner and ignored the stares. The day ended with gym and algebra, and he made his way to his locker. Along the way he passed some of the boys who had been following Gaston earlier. They watched him warily, seemingly ready to defend themselves if he decided to conclude the business from lunch. He made it to his locker without incident and was moving towards the door to pick up Claude when a voice called his name.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Harry turned around as Inès ran up to him, people staring at her as she did so.  
  
"What is it?" Harry asked as she caught up. "Aren't your friends going to think you're a little strange running after someone you barely know like this?"  
  
"Oh, they know I'm a little weird, that isn't a problem. Are you going home?"  
  
"Yeah, I just have to pick up my cousin first. Why?"  
  
"Well, I thought you might like a little company, of course!"  
  
"You know you really are strange."  
  
Harry liked Inès already. Here was someone who did not care about what people thought about her or the people she wanted to hang out with. It was refreshing after being looked on as The Boy Who Lived and now as a fighter.  
  
"Fine, you can come with me. But if I turn out to be a criminal, it is your own fault."  
  
"Okay!" she declared brightly. "Let's go get your cousin!"  
  
They walked along the streets as Inès chatted amiably. She never stopped talking, but it was not annoying like the Creeveys. Her conversation ran from the intelligent to the inane with almost no transition between the two. The more she talked, the more at ease Harry felt, and he found that once he started talking she let him, only interjecting with the occasional question or comment. After a couple blocks they stopped in front of Claude's school. As they walked up the steps, a little blur flew out the door.  
  
"Harry! You came!"  
  
"Well of course I did," Harry replied, ruffling the boy's hair. "You think I would make you walk home alone?"  
  
"If you did, I would have Sifu beat you up!" Claude declared, sticking his tongue out at Harry. "And then you would have to be really nice to me all the time!"  
  
"Sifu?" Inès asked. "Who's he?"  
  
Suddenly noticing that they were not alone, Claude tried to fade behind Harry, peaking out nervously at the strange girl.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Claude, this is Inès. Inès, this is my cousin Claude."  
  
Inès bent down to Claude's level.  
  
"Hi there, Claude. I like your backpack."  
  
Claude grinned impishly.  
  
"Harry picked it out. He said that Batman was cool. Do you think Batman is cool?"  
  
"Of course it is! That's the best backpack anyone could get."  
  
"So," Harry said, "how was your day, Claude?"  
  
"It was fun! I got to draw, and play on the swings, and I learned about rocks!"  
  
"That's great! Well, let's head home now. Inès, which way is your place?" As she pointed, Harry exclaimed. "Well, that's the same way we have to go. You mind keeping us company again?"  
  
"Sure, why not?"  
  
They made their way back to the flat. About a block before it, Inès parted ways with them, promising to see Harry the next day. He and Claude then made their way back to the flat and settled in. When Sifu arrived a couple of hours later, they ate their dinner, and Harry worked with Sifu while Claude played on their recently acquired Nintendo. Sifu had found it in a garbage can on the way home one night, and as money was tight, he took it home after realizing its only problem was its age. It had kept Claude busy, and that made for some quieter nights, so they kept it. Another few hours later, Harry finally was able to put his spell books away and settle in for the night. He fell asleep at peace with life. Maybe this whole Muggle school thing would not be so bad after all.  
  
A/N: Hey all, I just wanted to thank you for your patience. I lost my note book in the process of moving and had to recreate a coupe chapters from scratch. A big thank you to my beta, Ters, for his work. Also, thanks to my reviewers, you make this worth doing. Hoe you like it, and don't forget to review. 


	11. Chapter 10 Revelations

Chapter 10  
Revelations  
  
Deception is the key to winning any confrontation.  
By resorting to brute force you have taken  
your first step towards losing the battle.  
  
Severus rolled out of bed with a groan. If it were not for that Potter boy he could have been long gone from this filthy place. Of course Potter did not care about his feelings though. All he cared about was his own pleasure. Why else would he leave all the people who foolishly looked up to him the way they did without telling them he was alive? No, all the Potters were were glory hounds with the money and charisma to actually get what they wanted. Always getting the big breaks, the Potters were. Of course James had gotten a bad break once, but it was not like he had not deserved it for all the people he had brought done in his quest for glory. Lily, though, she had not deserved it. She was too nice for something like that to happen to her. Ah well, no sense in dwelling on the past. Shrugging on his robe, Severus headed out into the streets of Marseilles once more.  
  
Inès was just heading out of her door for school when she saw a strange sight. A man was walking down the street covered from head to toe in an ancient looking robe, waving a piece of glass around in front of him. She shrugged her head at yet another lunatic on the streets and headed for school.  
  
Harry had just dropped Claude off at school when Inès caught up with him.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
He turned around, and, seeing who it was, smiled.  
  
"Inès! How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm great! I just love getting up at six in the morning for school, don't you?" She smiled at Harry and suddenly called out, "Nicolas, Sylvie! Come here!"  
  
A boy and girl their age came walking over.  
  
"Harry, I want to introduce you to Nicolas and Sylvie. They're my best friends in the world. Nicolas and Sylvie, this is Harry. He's new here, so don't be too mean to him."  
  
They both laughed good-naturedly and shook Harry's hand. They were soon in an animated conversation and continued like that until they reached the school. Once there they split up to their respective classes; Harry and Nicolas heading to History, and Inès and Sylvie going to math. The classes passed quickly and before they knew it, it was time for lunch. The kids filling the halls were still giving Harry a wide berth as a general rule, but they were obviously starting to feel more at ease around him since he had yet to attack any of them. Nicolas turned to Harry with a smile.  
  
"I could get used to this, you know. It's like I'm the cool kid in school."  
  
"Well, trust me; it's not something you would want to live with for your whole life."  
  
Nicolas looked at him strangely for a moment, and then shrugged it off. After all, he was not that normal himself, so some idiosyncrasies were to be expected in a friend of Inès'. They walked in silence to the cafeteria and settled in to eat, Inez and Sylvie joining them. No one bothered Harry this time. He saw the group of kids from the day before, but none of them would meet his eyes, and Gaston was nowhere to be seen. The rest of day proceeded in much the same way. Other students avoided him like the plague, and he ended up going to get Claude alone because Inès went to Sylvie's house. The walk home was enjoyable, however, and Claude was a good companion when you just wanted to listen and not have to speak.  
  
Severus was getting angrier by the minute. His morning was not going well at all. The detector was picking up intermittent traces of stray magic, but it was like dirt in a river, there for a moment before disappearing. Finally, walking down one of the numerous side streets, the detector picked up a solid signal. It was coming from an apartment house a couple blocks down on the corner. He walked around the building and got different measurements, finally determining that the source was the upstairs apartment. Casting a version of the 'Revelo' charm on the building, he saw that no one was inside and apparated into what looked like the main room.  
  
Carefully he cast several more revealing charms on the objects in the room to make sure he would not be caught in his search. Whoever lived here was obviously living as a muggle, so Severus could go through the rooms safely. Locking the main door, he started searching the room. It looked like a normal kitchen with a small table that had been used that morning for breakfast and the dishes were still on it. The cupboards were similarly unenlightening, being filled with kitchen supplies and foodstuffs. The first bedroom he checked was also empty of clues, just having a small bed and some muggle contraptions. Moving into the other living area he stopped short. There were two cots and a nightstand, but it was the contents of the nightstand that were interesting. Right there in plain sights were the books that the store owner had told him he had sold to the Potter look-alike. Curiously Severus went and looked at them. Sure enough they were on wandless magic, and upon opening them, Severus found several pages bookmarked and notes on them. With a small smile of success, Severus cast a small alarm charm to notify him when three people were in the house so he could be sure Potter was there. Satisfied with his work, Severus apparated back to his room. It was time to get some rest. He had a double apparition to England coming up tonight, and he wanted to be ready for it.  
  
Harry's afternoon was filled with yet more studying. He finished his regular homework, but he immediately had to start working on wandless magic so he would be able to work with Sifu that evening. He had worked up to minor hexes now. They were more difficult that anything else he had done so far. Not having anything to practice on, he had been forced to go to transfiguration for a couple days to create a test subject. Once he had his little rat to hex he started. Harry quickly discovered that knowing the hex and how to do it was the easy part. He had to have the intent as well. It was hard to hex the little animal, but then Harry thought of Pettigrew and after that it was easy. Once he was able to visualize the rat as someone else he progressed quickly, and had half dozen hexes down by the time he had to start supper.  
  
Sifu arrived a few minutes later just as Harry realized that he was missing some ingredients. As Sifu walked in the door, Harry called out to him.  
  
"Hey, Sifu! I'm going to run down to the store and grab some stuff for supper, alright?"  
  
"Sure, Harry, go ahead."  
  
Harry jogged out the door, leaving Sifu and Claude alone in the house.  
  
Just as Severus was about to drop off to sleep from boredom, his alarm from the apartment went off.  
  
"Finally, I have you. You're going to regret all the trouble you put me through, Potter."  
  
Apparating to the alley behind the apartment, Severus walked around the front and ascended the stairs. He had decided not to apparate right into the house as he would not know right where the three inhabitants were and he really did not feel like splinching himself into one of them. At the top of the stairs he reached the door and began to knock impatiently. A man who looked only a few years younger than Severus opened the door and looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
"I'm looking for Harry Potter."  
  
The surprise on the man's face only lasted a moment before it became a mask again, but for a man as schooled in reading emotions as Severus it was an open book. This man knew who the Potter boy was and did not plan on telling him.  
  
"Who's that? I've never head of anyone by that name."  
  
"I know he lives here. Let me in to get him."  
  
"No. You can't come in and I still don't know what you are talking about."  
  
"You know who he is, don't play with me. I can do things you can only dream of."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," the man returned with a menacing smile.  
  
This brought Severus up short. This man, whoever he was, loked like he might actually know what magic was. Of course, the books were in plain sight so obviously he did. So why was he still so confident? Perhaps he was a wizard too? But that was impossible; only one person's traces had been picked up. Magical signatures were unique to the user, and anyone with the proper skill could tell the difference between people without a problem. No, this man must have some muggle methods at his disposal that he thought would be capable of defeating a wizard. Puny human, he would soon rue the day he was born.  
  
"Open the door!"  
  
"No!"  
  
A boy appeared behind the man.  
  
"Sifu? What's going on? Who is this?"  
  
"Claude! Go to your room. Now! Stay there until I call you again."  
  
Just as Severus was getting ready to hex the living daylights out of the foolish man, he was interrupted by a familiar voice behind him.  
  
"What's going on here?"  
  
Severus turned around.  
  
"Potter!"  
  
The only problem was this person was not the Harry Potter he knew. Instead there was a blond haired boy with brown eyes and missing a scar. If it were not for the voice, the boy would not have warranted a second look. However, once the voice combined with the face that was still the same, it was obvious who he was, and the look on Potter's face showed his recognition as well.  
  
"What are you doing here, Snape? I don't want anything to do with your kind. Haven't you done enough to me already?"  
  
"You know him?" Sifu asked.  
  
"Of course Potter knows me. I'm the only person who doesn't worship him and wait on him hand and feet."  
  
"That's only because you hated my father, and you can't stand to see anyone like him."  
  
"Whatever you wish to believe, boy. You are still coming with me. Dumbledore still wants you for some reason."  
  
"Well, you can go back and tell him to leave me alone. I'm not coming back so I can watch more people die."  
  
"You don't have a choice. Stupefy!"  
  
Severus bit off the curse with satisfaction. He had wanted to do this for years. His satisfaction quickly turned to shock when the curse dissolved into thin air in front of Potter. A tinge of yellow was the only hint as to what had happened. A shield charm of all things. Where had he learned that? When Potter muttered a curse in return, forcing Severus to throw up a shield of his own, his amazement grew. Surely he could not have grown so powerful so quickly! A rustle to his right alerted him scarcely a second before a foot struck his side. As he fell he saw the grim face of the man called Sifu above him. What was this madness? Readying himself for a last desperate attack, Severus was shocked to hear Potter's voice.  
  
"He's mine. Obliviate!"  
  
"Protego!"  
  
Finally throwing up a decent shield in the half second warning Potter had given him, Severus apparated out to his flat. Gathering his things quickly he apparated once again, this time to Hogsmeade. Someone was going to pay.  
  
A/N: Thanks to the reviewers once again. I was pretty shocked at all the reviews the last chapter got me. They mean a lot, so thanks. Props to my beta Ters. Take it easy y'all. Peace. 


	12. Chapter 11 The Other Side

Chapter 11  
The Other Side  
  
Truth is universal. Perception of truth is not.  
  
Ginny walked down the station with her family. It had been a long summer. Her family and every other wizarding family seemed to be in a permanent state of mourning after Harry's death. The hardest part was not telling anyone that she knew Harry was alive. Why Harry had run away she did not know, but he had to have a good reason. He was The Boy Who Lived after all. Ron had taken it the hardest. He and Harry had had their fight during the tournament, and Ron had yet to forgive himself for what he had said. He had meant it at the time, yes, but now he could never see his best friend again. Hermione had stayed with them for almost the entire summer. Her parents had not liked it, but they understood her need to be with people she could talk to at a time like this.  
  
Despite knowing Harry was alive, Ginny was still having a hard time. Because her house was always so crowded, she had not had another chance to send a letter. The letter Harry had sent her from wherever he was now had almost gotten her caught so she had not tried to risk it again. Hopefully now that she was at Hogwarts she would be able to sneak one out. For now she had to look suitably mournful and fit in with the crowd around her.  
  
There had not been any attacks over the summer, but the Daily Prophet was full of raids to halt dark artifact smugglers and the like. To someone who knew what to look for, all the signs were there. Petty crimes were on the rise, and the Obliviators were running ragged from having to take care of all the muggles being harassed. If one were to read the muggle papers, they would find mentions of mysterious gas explosions and people dying of unknown causes. However, because it was in muggle papers and not the Daily Prophet, only a few stopped to take notice. Ginny's father was one of those, and when he was not comforting his family over the loss of Harry, he was meeting people in the dining room and going out late at night on secret errands. It would have been impossible for Ginny and her brothers not to notice, but they knew better than to say anything about it.  
  
As it was every year, the Knight's Cross was crowded. There was one major difference, however. Aurors were stationed at regular intervals along the walk, and on Platform Nine and Three Quarters there were even more. It was quieter this year as well. People were huddled in groups as they moved towards the Hogwarts Express. The feeling was like they had been in the eye of the hurricane for the past several years and were now moving out into the storm again. The Minister's constant assurances that everything was alright and that no one should panic certainly did not help matters. For now though people were actually listening to him and not panicking, but how long that would last in this endless waiting game was anyone's guess.  
  
When everyone was finally separated from their cheerful families and aboard the train, it slowly moved away from the station. Ginny was sitting in a compartment with Ron, Hermione, and Neville, who had joined them on the platform. They talked quietly as the train sped along. The food witch soon made her way through with her usual load of chocolate frogs and the like. Right after she left another person stood in the doorway, Draco Malfoy.  
  
"So how are our little followers doing after the loss of Scarface?" he asked with a sneer.  
  
"Why you little!" Ron started, springing from his seat.  
  
Neville and Hermione quickly pulled him down but Ginny stood up instead. She was sick of Malfoy. All he had ever done was make fun of them and try to make their lives miserable. Yes, she knew that Harry was not dead so it should not matter what he said about it, but for some reason she could not let him get away with it for another year.  
  
"Why do you need to know, Malfoy? Is your father still kissing the ground You-Know-Who is walking on? If your money is so special why don't you use it to buy yourself a life?"  
  
"You can't talk to me like that," he fumed, pulling out his wand. Unfortunately for him, Ginny's had been out since the door opened.  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
Draco fell to the ground with a moan. As Crabbe and Goyle finally realized what had happened to Draco and dragged him out, everyone else looked at Ginny with stunned expressions.  
  
"What? He deserved it."  
  
"B-b-but you stunned him!" Neville gasped. "We'll get in trouble!"  
  
"No, we won't," Hermione assured him. "I am a prefect this year after all and that is one thing his father's money couldn't buy. He came in and started a fight and Ginny defended herself as is her right. None of us will get in trouble."  
  
Everyone gave her a dubious look, but she was Hermione after all, she should know. The rest of the trip passed quickly and they boarded the carriages to Hogwarts without seeing Malfoy again.  
  
The Great Hall was filled with returning students assembling at their respective houses' tables. Ginny let a small smile slip when she realized that there was an extra chair at the Gryffindor table. Obviously, Headmaster Dumbledore was expecting Harry to return as well; it was not like him to forget a detail such as that despite all of his quirks. Looking up at the head table she noticed that all the teachers were there talking to themselves. However, two were missing.  
  
"Ron! Snape and the Headmaster are both gone!"  
  
"Maybe Dumbledore is getting rid of Snape!" Ron replied hopefully.  
  
"Ron, you know that we would have heard about it. I don't see a Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher either. Maybe they are just having a meeting," Hermione said.  
  
Even as they spoke, Dumbledore and a woman entered the room and sat at the head table.  
  
"Good evening everyone," Dumbledore began. "I know everyone is anxious for the sorting to start, but I have a few things to say. Probably all of you have heard of the death of young Mr. Potter. You have probably also heard that it was done by Muggles. To both statements I must say that you should not believe everything you hear. Yes, a body was found, but whether or not it was Mr. Potter is unclear. Also, I believe you all remember that at the end of last year following the unfortunate events of the TriWizard Tournament I told you all that Voldemort had returned. It is my belief that he was behind the attack that is said to have claimed Mr. Potter's life. It was an unfortunate incident, but I must caution all of you that he has defeated death before, and he may have again. Just so you know, the Forbidden Forest is still forbidden, and Mr. Filch has a list of the banned items in his office. I have with me Professor Ugliano, who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. Thank you, and let the sorting begin."  
  
As Dumbledore sat down, silence followed his words. The mention of Voldemort's name had stunned the students, but had really shocked them was his insinuation that Harry was still alive. Ron and Hermione were looking at each other in shock. After a few moments of silence the main doors flew open with a bang and Professor McGonagall entered with the first years. The Sorting Hat was in its chair in the center of the Hall and as the children sat down it began its song.  
  
For years untold my story has been sung My tale told to the old and the young As Hogwarts was founded It was already divided Four houses for four Founders To teach the children true Slytherin taught cunning While the intelligent wore Ravenclaw blue Bravery for the Gryffindors And Hufflepuffs to stay true Four different houses with four different names Yet when they worked together what fame they could claim  
  
The Hall was silent again as people tried to work through what the Hat had said. The next thing they knew, Professor McGonagall was calling the first name.  
  
"Averhill, Michael!"  
  
The sorting continued for a while longer and finally ended when, 'White, Susan' was sorted into Ravenclaw. The houses congratulated their new members and finally sat down to eat. The feast was good as usual, the only things wrong with it for the Gryffindors being Harry's death, and Hermione complaining about how much work the house elves had to do. As usual everyone ignored her, but her attempts were half-hearted at best anyways. Everyone seemed to be trying to act normally but were only half succeeding. In fact, the only table with any semblance of life was the Slytherins. The feast finally wound down to a close and people started to leave the hall.  
  
The night passed quietly and Ginny's classes began the next day with Potions. To her surprise, the classroom was empty when they arrived. Just as the clock struck the hour, the door opened. To everyone's delight it was not Snape who entered but Headmaster Dumbledore.  
  
"Good morning, class," he began. "I will be teaching today as Professor Snape was unavoidably detained on important business. We will begin with a bone restoring potion. Please open your books to page 173 and begin."  
  
The class passed by uneventfully. Thankfully the fourth year Gryffindor class did not have a Neville Longbottom, although Colin Creevey came close at times. This led to a lot less points being lost by Ginny's year, making up for all the points Harry and Neville kept losing. It was near the end of class period when the door slammed open. As the startled class looked up, a wild-eyed Professor Snape flew into the room. He stormed to the front of the class, giving the students a rare view of a slightly flustered looking Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"Headmaster! We need to talk!"  
  
A/N: Yes, this is a short chapter, but since you all love cliffhangers so much I just had to throw in another one. Hopefully the next chapter will come a little faster. This one was very hard to write, despite its short length, and school was really kicking my butt at the same time. Hope y'all enjoy it. Peace.  
-Ueshiba 


	13. Chapter 12 Decisions

Chapter 12  
Decisions  
  
A man who has obtained mastery of an art reveals it in his every action.  
  
Harry and Sifu just looked at each other for the first few minutes after Snape disapparated. Finally Harry trusted his voice again.  
  
"I have to leave now," he said.  
  
"What do you mean, leave? We stopped him!"  
  
"For now, yes. But he will be back for more with other people. I'm too dangerous for you, so I cannot stay here."  
  
"Nonsense! Harry, I know you left your friends the first time because you felt you put them in danger. Don't look at me like that. No, you didn't tell me, but I'm not the dullest person in the world. I know you have some connection with something bad. I don't think you did anything, but you are connected nonetheless. You cannot continue to blame yourself for whatever happened. I did that once, and look where I am. Come inside and sit down. Whatever we, not you, decide to do, we need to get you calmed down first."  
  
Sifu pulled Harry up off the floor and led him into the kitchen. They sat down heavily at the table, Harry holding his head in his hands.  
  
"You don't understand, Sifu, you just don't understand. I ruin lives no matter what I do. Cedric was killed because of me, Cho lost her boyfriend, Hermione got petrified, and Ron's been in the Hospital more times than I can count. That's only the beginning. I've hurt everyone I've ever touched and I just can't do it anymore."  
  
"Listen to me, Harry. Just because bad things have happened around you doesn't mean they happen because of you. I'm sure you didn't kill those people or hurt them intentionally. You have to put the past behind you and step into life. Only then will you be able to influence the world around you for good. What we need to do now is get ready for whatever happens next. Will the people this man brings try to kill you or capture you alive?"  
  
"I don't know. He is bad, but he works as a spy, so I don't know what side he was working for here. Hopefully for Dumbledore, but I don't know."  
  
"Who's Dumbledore?"  
  
"He is the headmaster of the school I went to. One of the greatest wizards ever, but he likes to manipulate people, especially me. If he is the one Snape was working for, they will try to get me to come back to England. I won't though, they can't make me."  
  
"Don't worry, Harry, I won't let anyone do anything to you. It's about time I stood for something worthwhile. Just tell me what to look out for and I will protect you and Claude."  
  
"But how can you defend yourself against magic?"  
  
"Haven't you listened to what I have told you, Harry? If you truly believe something you can do it. I believe magic exists and that I can defeat it so I can do it; it is as simple as that."  
  
Harry sat for a minute. While a part of him wanted to believe that Sifu spoke the truth, he had seen too much of what magic could do to truly believe that Sifu had half of a chance in a straight fight. Sure, he had taken out Snape when he had the element of surprise, but what chance would he have had otherwise?  
  
"I'm sorry Sifu, but I can't take the chance."  
  
"You don't have a choice, Harry. I refuse to let you be self righteous and leave. You're going to have help here. Deal with it."  
  
"Fine! Get yourself killed!"  
  
Harry turned away angrily and walked into the bedroom. The only sound in the flat was Claude's Nintendo in the other room. He had apparently missed the entire incident, something Sifu was very grateful for. With a sigh Sifu turned to the forgotten supper. It was now a mass of carbon in the pan, the boiling water having evaporated off long ago. He started cleaning the blackened dishes, resigned to a late supper. The cleaning and cooking helped him calm down, and by the time he was done he had neutralized his emotions once more.  
  
"Harry! Claude! Supper!"  
  
The two boys came out of there rooms. Claude threw himself into the meal with gusto, but it was obvious that Harry was not too keen on his meal.  
  
"Are you sure, Sifu? I don't want you and Claude hurt too."  
  
"Yes, I'm sure, we'll be fine, don't worry."  
  
Harry resumed eating, obviously not satisfied but willing to accept the fact that he was stuck there for now. Sifu would not be as easy to escape from as the Dursley's were, and Harry did not have the same motivation. Maybe Sifu would be hurt, but he had willingly made that choice so Harry had to accept that. It was not like Cedric, who had no idea of his danger until the end. Sifu knew the risks and was prepared to accept them. Harry looked at his sensei and smiled. Perhaps this would work out after all.  
  
Severus Snape strode angrily through the halls of Hogwarts, Headmaster Dumbledore close behind. Students scattered to the sides at the sight of his angry visage, but Severus did not have the satisfaction he normally did. Potter had proven surprisingly resourceful. Maybe he was not the weakling Severus had feared him to be after all. The man had been a surprise as well. What muggle could get the drop on a wizard? It tore away at everything Severus had ever known to admit even to himself that a muggle could take him down. The fact that he had escaped did nothing to appease him. If there were others out there like him, the magical world had something to be wary of. An army of men like that could possibly overcome a like number of wizards in the proper conditions. The very thought was disturbing at the very least.  
  
Finally they reached Albus' office. The headmaster sat in his chair as they entered and motioned for Severus to sit down as well.  
  
"What news, my old friend?"  
  
"I found him, Headmaster."  
  
A broad grin spread across Dumbledore's face.  
  
"Yes? And where is the poor boy? How did you find him?"  
  
"I traced him from Gringott's across the channel to Calais and then on to Marseille where he was living. I saw Lucius Malfoy there as well. The Dark Lord is obviously aware of Potter's survival as well."  
  
"So where is he?" Dumbledore's excitement over the survival of his young pawn was almost tangible.  
  
"He defeated me. He remains in Marseille."  
  
"What? You let him stay? Don't you realize the danger he is in? How could you do such a thing to Lily's son?"  
  
"I am afraid you do not understand. He and a man I have never seen before defeated me in a duel. I barely escaped a memory charm. I came here immediately."  
  
"He is with a wizard strong enough to perform a memory charm? Who is he?"  
  
Severus buried his head in shame. The one time he was willing to admit Potter had done something and the headmaster would not believe him.  
  
"He was not with a wizard, Headmaster, it was a muggle. I found the apartment he was staying at and when a monitoring charm I had placed there went off, I apparated there. A muggle answered the door and would not let me in. There was someone else there, a child. The muggle would not let me enter, and as I was arguing, the Potter boy came behind me somehow. He refused to come peacefully so I tried to stun him, but he raised a shield and blocked the curse. While I was distracted the muggle attacked me and struck me down. While I lay there Potter told the muggle to move and tried to obliviate me. I used a shield of my own, disapparated while I could, and came here. I don't know what has happened, but Potter is not the boy he once was."  
  
"Well, it seems as if he has pursued training elsewhere, but I do not understand how his wand signature was not discovered. Did you see any concealing charms, Severus?"  
  
"Headmaster, he had no need for concealing charms, he did not use a wand!"  
  
"No wand? Surely, you jest, Severus. We both know that the concentration required is incredible. Even I and Voldemort can only do small charms, and I doubt that Voldemort can do any following his recent rebirth. Tell me the truth. What happened?"  
  
"You must believe me, Headmaster. Potter and a muggle defeated me, and Potter did not use a wand. He is more dangerous now than ever. We must take action! The muggle must be taken care of as well. He possesses knowledge and strength I have seen in few wizards. They cannot be allowed to remain unmonitored."  
  
"Relax, Severus. I agree that the situation is worrisome, but we must take things slowly. I will call some of the old crowd to return with you to Marseille. It will take a few days though, so take care of your house and your classes and we will have a group go this weekend."  
  
"Yes, Headmaster. I will do as you say."  
  
"Very well, Severus, you may leave. You have a class waiting for you. It is the fourth year Gryffindors. I had them working on a bone restorative potion. You have a few minutes left, so you may want to get down there before they blow something up."  
  
Severus exited the office with a curt nod, leaving Dumbledore to his thoughts. This was very disturbing. He had always known that Harry would be a powerful wizard one day, maybe powerful enough to rival him at his peak. However, this sudden growth was both unexpected and unprecedented. Maybe Harry had obtained some of the original works on wandless magic. Ancient wizards had had a secret method that allowed them to use massive reservoirs of magic with focusing objects. The advent of staffs in the Arthurian era and the eventual evolution of wands had removed this necessity and opened magic to the mass of sensitives incapable of anything but accidental magic before. Perhaps Harry had rediscovered this secret accidentally, that was the easiest explanation. The muggle's actions were also strange. Not many muggles knew of magic, and those that did were generally too afraid to resist a wizard threatening them. This man, however, was obviously both aware and unafraid of magic at the same time. Also, he had been able to take a very powerful wizard by surprise, which was normally impossible. Powerful wizards, a group that included himself, Severus, and Voldemort, had what seemed to be a sixth sense. Not a useful one in most wizarding duels, but one that could warn them of a non-magical attack or threat. For this muggle to circumvent that sixth sense was worrying indeed. Perhaps this matter required a more personal intervention. But first, there were letters to write.  
  
Dear Remus and Snuffles,  
I have some excellent news.  
  
Ginny and her classmates came out of Potions in fear for their lives. Snape had always been hard, but in a mere twenty minutes he had managed to take off fifty points and leave most of the people in tears. She had only escaped because her partner had chopped the St. John's wort incorrectly, but it had been an unpleasant experience just the same. Once she was out of this class she had some spare time before lunch, so she left he friends and headed to the Owlery. Once there she was secluded enough to write another letter to Harry.  
  
Dear Harry, How was your summer? Is everything alright? I've been worried about you. I know you said not to write unless I really had to, but I needed to find out if you were okay. It was a rough summer. Dad was really busy with all of the stuff people are charming illegally. Everyone misses you a lot. I know you said that I can't tell anyone, but can I tell Ron and Hermione at least? They are hurting more than you can imagine. I know you think you had your reasons for leaving, but I think you were a real prat about it. Don't you understand how many people love you? Even Snape is in a bad mood, even worse than usual. He came in late to class and made everyone afraid he was going to curse them, he was so mean. Please come back, we need you. Not just because you're the Boy Who Lived, but because you're our Harry. I miss you.  
  
Ginny  
  
With a sigh she tied the letter to Hedwig's leg and sent her off into the morning sun. She wiped away a tear as she left for her next class. Maybe Harry would come back someday. Until then she would be waiting. 


	14. Chapter 13 The Master

Chapter 13  
The Master  
  
A Man Who Has Attained Mastery of An Art Reveals It in His Every Action.  
  
The next day dawned bright and clear, revealing nothing of the danger that Harry was sure would be coming soon. Little was spoken as he ate breakfast with Sifu and Claude. All that had needed to be said had been said the night before. Now they just had to be ready for whatever happened. Harry and Claude went off to school while Sifu went to work. It was one of the slowest days Harry had ever gone through. There was really nothing to do but wait and attempt to live a normal life until then, and that was the hardest part. The next two days were more of the same. No one bothered him any more after that first day, so he usually just hung out with Inès, Nicolas, and Sylvie. Evenings were spent training and practicing his spells. He had found that the intense practice helped more than anything as it forced him to clear his mind of extraneous thoughts. It was a waiting game now, and Harry was determined to win.  
  
The end of classes on Friday could not come soon enough for Severus Snape. Finally Potter was going to get what was coming to him. The hardest part was listening to the little Malfoy brat harass Potter's former followers without being able to correct all of them on the true nature of their little hero. It was hard to maintain his cover at times. However, it would not do for him to show his true opinions of the Dark Lord's "cause". Until the Dark Lord was eventually defeated again, he would have to do what he had always done, survive. That is what he would have to consider this weekend as well. He had never been convinced of the Potter boy's worth himself, but if Dumbledore said it was so he had to go along with it. He owed the headmaster a great debt, and Dumbledore was not afraid to remind him of it. If he had to, though, he would leave the boy where he was and be done with it. Of course, if Potter showed himself able to throw off the vaunted "old crowd" there was no sense in pursuing the matter. Let him die if he was so intent on it. Besides, if he could fight off the "old crowd" he was obviously capable of taking care of himself.  
  
Dumbledore had been busy ever since Severus had spoken to him. He had spent most of his time sending letters and in front of the fireplace. The last Severus had heard was that Lupin and Black could not make it due to the upcoming full moon and Mad-eye Moody was still recovering from the events of the previous year. Apparently being locked in a trunk did not help his health. Many of the people Dumbledore had once been able to call upon were not the heroes they once were. The Marauders were gone, Moody was a shadow of his former self, many of the aurors had left the Ministry to work in other countries due to Fudge's incompetence, and others simply refused to believe that the horror they had thought was gone had returned. At the end of the week the headmaster had only been able to get four others to return to Marseille with Severus. Fletcher, Ramajan, Blogett, and Cristof worked with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; doing as much as possible with Fudge's interference and working for Dumbledore as well. They were good, but the people Severus remembered would have torn them to shreds. He vividly recalled the late night raids he had been on that ended in disaster under the wands of Moody, Potter, Black, and the others, now long gone. He hated Black and Potter, but they had been good, even he would admit that. Now he had to deal with their creation, and maybe at least his demons would be buried. Sighing, Severus turned to grade more of the summer essays. Thinking about it only made the time till they left take longer.  
  
Although he would never tell Harry this, Sifu was worried. Not for himself, of course, but for the boys. Claude was obviously unable to defend himself, but there was nowhere for him to go. Harry, on the other hand, could handle himself, but he had a tendency to let his anger overcome him. His want to finish off the man the other day had led to this situation. Sifu could have knocked him out easily enough, but Harry's obvious past history with the man prevented it, and the man had escaped. It was clear that Harry had issues that needed to be addressed, and if the man from the other day was an indication, the school he had fled would be a hindrance rather than a help. The matter of fact story of Harry's parents' deaths had chilled Sifu more than he cared to admit. He had seen and caused his share of death and suffering, but no one should have to go through what this boy had experienced. No, he was not afraid for Harry physically. It was the damage to his mind that Sifu feared. As for himself, Sifu knew that he could escape any magic attacks. It had become obvious that the sticks these wizards carried had to point at what they were attacking, so if he escaped the stick he would escape the attack. Hopefully they would leave when they found themselves helpless. If not, he would have to seriously consider breaking his vows.  
  
Saturday was a cloudy day at Hogwarts. Fitting, thought Severus. After all, they were going into who knew what in a few hours. The aurors were overconfident and acting like it was a walk in the park. Severus was tempted to think the same, but he had seen how quickly Potter shook off his stunning spell and the quickness with which the muggle had attacked him. Five on two seemed like overwhelming odds, but Severus had seen friends and enemies alike die as a result of that very thought. Instead of joining the joking aurors, not that he would have anyways, he readied himself for what he could only describe as a battle.  
  
They made the trip in two apparitions. First, the longer hop to a known safe house in Marseille, and then a linked jump with Severus as the focus to an alley a couple blocks from the apartment where Potter had been staying. The aurors were making fun of Severus the entire way. After all, he was weaker than most if he could not take down a child and a muggle, right? In the meantime, Severus' doubts grew. What if the aurors had a hard time of it? Would they resort to the harsher spells? Would they be killed when their opponents realized what was going on? What if Potter had gotten assistance? It did not help when the aurors decided to split up and move in groups of two in case the targets were outside the building. This left Severus alone, which would leave him in the same position as before if he ran into Potter and the muggle. It was with relief that he met the other two teams in front of the apartment unscathed.  
  
The aurors walked up the stairs, ready for an attack but much more relaxed than they should have been. They arranged themselves around the door, and a forceful "Alohamora" from Blodgett opened it with a bang. The aurors moved in quickly, searching the rooms one after another.  
  
"There is no one here, sir," Ramajan said, returning to the kitchen.  
  
"Are you sure this is the place, Professor?" Fletcher asked.  
  
"Of course I am sure. What do you take me for, a fool?"  
  
A muttered response came from the aurors. They had been suspicious of Severus' account and this made them begin to doubt it in its entirety. Finally they decided that they would wait for Potter to return. Settling down in the kitchen the aurors were soon completely at ease. Severus just sneered at them and leaned on the counter to wait. They were treating this too much like a lark for his liking. He did not plan on getting hurt, not again. At the first sign of the two being too much for them to handle he would be apparating out of there; survival took precedent.  
  
It was almost an hour later when the stairs started to creak. The aurors immediately came to life, each of them getting a clear shot at the door. The door shot open and a small boy ran through it laughing. As soon as he saw the men and their wands inside he began to scream, a blood- curdling cry that turned Severus' blood cold. That was the scream of someone who knew what wands were, had seen what they could do. Even before the scream ended, an adult bounded into the room. As he in turn saw the men he reacted instantly, sweeping the boy into his arms and diving out the door before they could react. Severus' eyes narrowed in recognition of the muggle from before. Before he could say anything in warning, the aurors were moving towards the door.  
  
As Blodgett approached the open doorway, a yell was heard from outside.  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
Blodgett responded immediately with a shield, but the force of the spell still staggered him slightly. He swung the door shut as he fell back.  
  
"It's a kid! And he doesn't have a wand!"  
  
"I told you didn't I?" Severus said smugly.  
  
The aurors turned to him as one, obviously a little irritated with him. However, they could not waste the time on yelling now, they had to worry about the threat outside. They opened the door cautiously, ready for an attack this time. By the time they made it out the door, the targets were gone. Grumbling in disgust they cautiously made their way down the stairs and onto the street, Severus close behind. They were circling around the house when they heard movement behind them. Immediately they whirled around, wands at the ready. Potter stood there in the alley alone, a slight smile on his face.  
  
"Looking for me?"  
  
Five wands were trained on him as he stood there, looking like an innocent child. However, Severus' trained eye saw something else. Harry was ready to move, his hands and legs tense for action. He realized their error too late, turning around just as the muggle struck Fletcher from behind. The group turned again, keeping an eye on Potter as they shifted to the new threat. Sifu had swept out Fletcher's legs and was now lying underneath him, and arm wrapped threateningly around his neck choking him.  
  
"What do you want with us?" he asked.  
  
"We want Mr. Potter, that's all. You can leave if you want to," Ramajan reassured him.  
  
"You know that won't work. Where I go, Harry goes. Why do you want him?"  
  
"He needs to be in school. We're here to bring him back to his friends. England needs him."  
  
"Well, it sure seems like you need him more than he needs you. I know he doesn't want to go back, and he is getting his schooling here with me, so he is going to stay. Go back and tell whoever sent you that he is safe here, you won't have to worry."  
  
"I don't think we can take your word for it. Harry, you're coming with us," Ramajan said.  
  
"Actually, I'm staying here. I don't have to worry about people dying or getting hurt anymore. You can tell Dumbledore I'm my own person," Harry replied. He was getting nervous now, and his anxiousness was starting to become evident in his twitching.  
  
Ramajan replied immediately. "You don't have a choice, Harry. We have orders from Dumbledore to bring you back so that is what we are going to do. Come with us peacefully or we will have to take you by force. Those are your only options. And get your friend here to let Fletcher go or we will have to hurt him too."  
  
"I can't tell him to do that and I'm not coming with you. Do your worst."  
  
Severus was worried now. The last time he had gone right into it without talking and had gotten the worst of it. Now Potter and the muggle were going to be mad and prepared for anything. This wasn't good. Even as he thought of it the muggle made his move.  
  
Lying under someone else would have severely limited a normal man's options. However, Sifu was not normal. With the ease of practice he threw Fletcher off of himself into the man who had been talking and moved towards the only man he recognized, the man they had driven off the other day. The quicker he made him remember their previous encounter, the fewer enemies there would be. As Severus was bringing his wand to bear, Sifu grabbed the wand hand and twisted sharply. Before he knew what was happening, Severus found himself laying on the ground and Sifu taking away his wand. Before he could say anything, it was in two pieces on the ground; his lifeline a broken shard. Sifu did not even wait to see his reaction. He knew that Severus was no longer a threat. As he had thrown off Fletcher and attacked Severus, attention had shifted to him. Wands were pointing at him and words were being spoken. Although he could not see what was happening, Sifu knew from what Harry had told him that if the wand was pointing at him he would be hurt. Therefore we dodged and weaved, not letting the wands point at him.  
  
Meanwhile Harry was left mostly unnoticed. He was amazed at how fast quickly Sifu had moved; the whole event had taken less than two seconds. As he began to respond, the two aurors left standing started to send 'Stupefy' and 'Petrificus Totalus' curses at him and the two on the ground tried to pick themselves up. Sifu was moving with almost inhuman speed, and the curses were not hitting anywhere near him. Harry moved closer to the group and brought up his hand at the nearer auror.  
  
"Stupefy!"  
  
The auror fell with a thud, his half-formed spell dying to nothing on his wand. The two aurors had finally gotten up and one of them moved towards him while the other angled to take him out. As spells began to fly, Harry was forced to abandon Sifu to the other two aurors. He had already established a shield around himself, tying it to his magical signature, so he did not have to worry until the first spell hit. A 'Petrificus' curse flew by him as he dove out of the way, rolling towards the man. A 'Stupefy' curse fizzled on his shield, burning it out as Harry reached an arm's length away from the auror. He quickly snapped out a foot into the man's knee and delivered a palm strike to his face. The man crumpled to his ground, one hand grabbing the dislocated knee and the other trying to stop his now-bloody nose. With the man's wand hand not pointing at him, Harry delivered another 'Stupefy' and tossed the wand out of the man's reach. When he looked up, Sifu was just reaching him, his opponents already taken care of.  
  
As Sifu dove out of the way of the wizards' wands, he saw Harry knock out one of them and a new wizard join the attack. He continued to stay ahead of the wands while moving closer to the wizards at the same time. With one final roll he landed between them in a crouch, stretching out his arms and grabbing a leg of each. He quickly stood, causing the two of them to hit the ground, briefly stunning them. Sifu stepped towards one and snapped a hand down to his neck to knock him out and kicking the wand away at the same time. The other man was stirring slightly, so Sifu quickly knocked him out and removed his wand as well. With his two targets out of commission, he moved to help Harry, reaching his side just as he finished off his own opponent.  
  
They quickly gathered the men together in the alley, pocketing their wands and binding their hands with rope. Severus had disappeared sometime in the fight, the broken pieces of his wand gone as well. Harry passed over each the aurors in turn to revive them. Once they were all awake, Sifu spoke to them.  
  
"We are going to let you go. We have your wands so don't even think about trying anything. Now you," pointing at the auror Harry had disabled, "need some serious medical help. You might want to get him to a doctor."  
  
They let them get up, untying one man's hands so he could help his injured comrade. The aurors limped off into the early afternoon, missing the sighs of relief as Harry and Sifu realized it was over, and missing the little boy who ran out into Sifu's arms sobbing in relief. 


	15. Chapter 14 Leavetaking

Chapter 14  
Leave-takings  
  
.a goodbye is such sweet sorrow.  
  
For the second time in less than a week Severus Snape came storming into the Hogwarts Great Hall. Fortunately for his dignity there were only a few students whiling away the weekend, but those who were there were treated to the sight of a Professor Snape even angrier than he usually was. He brushed past them without a word, not that they would have tried to stop him anyways.  
  
His mood had not improved by the time he reached Dumbledore's office; if anything it was worse. He had slammed open the door and was in front of the Headmaster's desk before he had finished telling him to enter.  
  
"I take it from your expression that it did not go as well as we could have hoped?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Of course it didn't! When has Potter ever made our lives anything other than difficult?"  
  
"What happened, Severus, I need to know. Where are the others?"  
  
"I don't know where your pet aurors are. I left after I was taken out by a muggle, who SNAPPED MY WAND!"  
  
Severus voice had grown to an almost hysterical shout and he was out of his chair pacing the room. Albus understood his pain now; for a wizard, the wand was an extension of the body. For Severus, to get a new wand now would be difficult, but it could be done. With the loss of his wand, however, Severus had now become a liability. There was no reasonable explanation to give to Voldemort for the loss of his wand. Now they would have to protect Severus from both trigger happy aurors and Death Eaters too. He could not think about this now; the situation Harry had gotten himself into needed to be resolved.  
  
"I need you to calm down and tell me everything, Severus. Can you do that for me?"  
  
"Of course I can. We apparated to the flat Potter and the muggle had been in before but they were not there so we settled in to wait. They came through the door and saw us, so they ran. We chased them into an alley and told Potter he was wanted here. The muggle was in charge from the moment we saw them. He took out one of the aurors and used him as a shield as he gave us some speech about how Harry didn't need to go anywhere he didn't want to. The aurors weren't having any of that though so he took out two aurors and snapped my wand. You have to have been there to understand it, Albus," Severus said as desperation started to tinge his voice. "I didn't have a chance. He was there before I could move. As soon as he snapped my wand he left me alone like I wasn't worth his time. When I had my breath back I ran. I should have stayed but by that time Potter was turning the last auror into a walking injury and I did not want that to happen to me. I made it to an International Floo Station and flooed to Hogsmeade. As for what happened to the aurors, I don't know, but it is obvious Potter is a threat now. We can't keep going after him or something will happen that is even worse than what has happened already. It's not worth it!"  
  
"I understand your reservations, Severus, but we need Harry here. He is the only one who can kill Voldemort now, and he certainly cannot do that from France. It is quite obvious he does not wish to return, but I think we can convince him still. I will send Sirius and Remus when they return. You can go back to your rooms, Severus. I would suggest that you go see Olivander as quickly as possible to get a replacement wand. I think that will help much of the indecision you are experiencing."  
  
Severus turned without a word and left the office. Dumbledore remained behind, a pensive look on his face as he contemplated this new development. He had hoped that Harry's previous reactions were a result of Severus' less than perfect diplomatic skills, but now he was forced to admit the truth. Harry Potter had left those who needed him. The Headmaster sighed in sadness as he planned ways to bring Harry back. As much as he liked the boy, he was just that, only a boy, and his desires were nothing compared to the needs of those lives he affected. As long as he was useful, Dumbledore needed Harry around. Only after he had outlived his purpose could he ever expect to have a life of his own. He was Dumbledore, Savior of the Wizarding World, after all, who could tell him nay? Without hesitation he turned to the fireplace and threw in a green powder.  
  
"Remus? Sirius? I have a job for you."  
  
Harry just wanted to curl up and die, and from his expression, Sifu did as well. Sure, they had beat off the aurors, but now they had no choice but to leave. Just as he was making new friends again he had to leave them because it was too dangerous. Maybe it was his destiny to live through life as a fellow warrior but never a friend. Whatever his purpose was, though, Sifu had made it an easier burden to bear. With sorrow he turned to his sensei.  
  
"I have to leave now, you know. They'll be back now that they know where we are and there is nothing we can do to stop it. I can't let your lives be ruined because of me. You understand that right?"  
  
"What I understand is that you have a martyr complex. Yes, your departure would be the noble thing to do and maybe it would make it safer for Claude and me if we weren't with you anymore, but you need us and we need you. We're a family now and no one is going to break that up. I understand the danger and Claude does too. Where you go, we go, and that is the way it will stay. You understand?"  
  
Harry could not keep the smile off his face now. Maybe he did not have to be alone anymore.  
  
"Where will we go then? What will we do?"  
  
"Well, I know some people in Tibet that would be more than happy to meet someone like you. There is a lot you could learn from them, and probably a lot they could learn from you. You think you would be up for a walk through Asia?"  
  
"Up for it? I'd love it! Would Claude make it alright though? And what about school?"  
  
"Well, I know Claude could make it, he's a tough kid, and it wouldn't take as long as you might think. A few months at most, and I know people on the way that would be more than willing to speed us on our way. As for school, I can get books and things to bring along, and I am sure your magic could help us carry it all, couldn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, I know of some spells that I could work on. When do we leave?"  
  
"As soon as possible. We can start packing everything tonight. Is there anyone you need to say goodbye to before we leave? I am going to take Claude to say goodbye to a few of his friends now, so if there is anyone you should say goodbye to as well it should be now."  
  
"Alright then, I will see you this evening. I guess I'll go see Inès to tell her goodbye. Thank you, Sifu. I don't know where I would be without you."  
  
"Don't worry, Harry; we're family now, remember?"  
  
Harry flashed Sifu a grin as he headed out the door. He was not looking forward to saying goodbye to Inès and the others. In the few weeks he had known them they had gotten closer than he had thought possible. It was like his friendship with Ron all over again, except this time he could say goodbye. It was with trepidation that he knocked on the door. A few seconds later it opened, Inès standing there with a wide grin plastered on her face.  
  
"Harry! What's going on? Come on in!"  
  
Harry followed her inside hesitantly.  
  
"Sit down! You want any. What's wrong, Harry? You look like someone just died!"  
  
"We need to talk, Inès," he started miserably. "You remember how I was staying with my uncle after moving from England? Well, I didn't move away, I ran away. There were some people after me, and they found me again, so I have to leave again. Sifu, Claude, and I are leaving tonight. I doubt I will ever see you again because we are going to the other side of the world. I'm sorry."  
  
Tears filled Inès' eyes as she listened. She had not known Harry long, but she him well enough to know that he was good. Whoever was after him therefore had to be bad, and out to hurt him. They also had to be powerful, because Harry was not weak; she knew that for a fact. It was not just that he knew martial arts either. He had a strength that she had never seen before. He was a natural leader, but at the same time he did not want to be one. That in itself had caught her off guard initially. She had seen many people try to be important to get power over their peers, but here was someone who had the power and did not want it. It made Harry the most amazing person she had ever known despite all the secrets he was obviously hiding.  
  
"Are you sure you have to leave? Maybe they don't really know where you are! Maybe they are looking somewhere else, or maybe."  
  
"No, they did find me Inès; I just spent the afternoon trying to get away. I'm sorry, but we have to leave."  
  
"You'll write won't you? Even if I can't write back, you had better write me, you understand? If you don't I'll find you and you won't have to worry about those other people anymore because I'll kill you myself. Understand?"  
  
Harry smiled at her fondly.  
  
"I understand. I'm sorry, but it will work out for the best. Tell Nicolas and Sylvie I said goodbye, all right? We don't have the time to say goodbye to everyone. Tell them I will miss them and the letters will be for them too."  
  
"Of course I'll tell them, Harry. You take care of yourself, all right? Tell Claude I said goodbye too."  
  
They smiled at each other in understanding as Harry hugged her goodbye. It was with a heavy heart that he walked back down the street to a place he would soon no longer be able to call home. Once there he started gathering their things in the kitchen and practiced the shrinking, expanding, and lightening spells from his books until he was sure he had them right. It definitely would not do for their supplies to get stuck in a shrunken state when they needed them. By the time Sifu and Claude returned from saying goodbye to Claude's friends and picking up the school supplies, Harry was almost done packing everything. A few hours later, after they had eaten and paid the rest of their rent, the three of them headed out the door into the night. They boarded a train at the station for Rome; Harry's conjured passports giving them safe passage. Yet another stage in his life was over, maybe this one would end better.  
  
It was midmorning of the following day when Remus and Sirius knocked on the door of the flat to which Snape had directed them.  
  
"Do you think he will come back with us, Remus?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Well, not right away, but I'm sure he will understand that he is needed. He's a good kid, just afraid right now."  
  
"Why isn't anyone answering? Snape said they lived here. If he was lying."  
  
"Calm down, Sirius; I'm sure they are just out. We'll just check to be safe."  
  
Remus then tried the door, looking at Sirius in puzzlement when he discovered it to be unlocked. Cautiously they entered the flat, only to find it devoid of any signs of life.  
  
"Where are they? It looks like no one has lived here at all."  
  
"No, they were here, I can smell them," Remus replied. They must have run away after what happened yesterday. Come on; let's try to follow the scent while it is still fresh."  
  
With that, Sirius transformed into his dog form while Remus used his werewolf senses to follow Harry's fading scent. It became more difficult as they hit the streets full of weekend shoppers, but their keen senses did not let them down. It was not until a half hour later when they came into a train station that the scent disappeared.  
  
"Do you think he.?"  
  
"Yeah, it looks like Harry left. I think we lost him this time, Sirius. A train station this big could have taken him anywhere. We can keep looking, but I wouldn't get your hopes up."  
  
The last two Marauders sat there despondently, trying to figure out what to do. If Harry was gone, they were lost, and not just because he was the one to fight Voldemort. Harry had been their last link to James, their only way to keep their childhood alive. With him gone, it was like they had to grow up. With him gone, the world seemed to lose its shine. Finally they got up, ready to face Dumbledore's disappointment for their failure. He knew how they felt about Harry and how much it hurt to lose him like this. In a way, it was worse than when they thought he had died. At least then his fate was not in doubt. Now, however, anything could happen to him. He could die and they would never know. He could live a life of misery and end up like Lord Voldemort and they would have no say in the matter. Unless they found him, it would be out of their hands forever, and little James lost. With a newfound determination to continue the search they began the long apparation back to Hogwarts. 


	16. Chapter 15 Of Monks and Owls

Chapter 15  
Of Monks and Owls  
  
Six months later:  
  
Harry looked around in awe as he exited the ramshackle bus they had ridden the last 400 miles in. They were now in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. It was a large city that spread through the mountains, the impressive vista giving it a sense of loneliness.  
  
"They called it the Forbidden City," Sifu told them. "It's been the center of both the physical and spiritual government for centuries, and it is the only large city you will find here."  
  
"Is this where we will be staying, Sifu? What will we be doing here?" Harry asked.  
  
"There is a small monastery near the main Drepung complex that we are going to be living at. The monks there are closer to the Chinese Shaolin monks, but they have phenomenal control over their minds and are thus able to do things you have probably never seen before."  
  
"Can they do things like the first time I saw you? Because I'm pretty sure that you were flying, even though you've never admitted that."  
  
"I wasn't flying, I was jumping, and yes, they can do that as well. They taught me most of what I know about the triumph of mind over matter. Of course we both know how much I had to reconsider after discovering what you could do. I don't know if they know about magic, but even if they don't I know they would want to see what you can do. Come, we should start walking if we want to get there before dark."  
  
With that he threw his bag over his shoulder, starting down the street with Claude in tow. Harry looked at the sights around him one last time and followed his mentor into the Forbidden City. The walk lasted almost an hour, and the magnificent vistas seemed to grow more magnificent, and the buildings more palatial as they moved up the mountain. Harry was feeling the affects of the thinner mountain air by now, as was Claude, but he pressed on, relying on his stamina, both magical and physical, to keep him going. Claude was struggling, but he had been working out with Sifu since right before they had left Marseille and could keep up with people twice his age. It was obvious that some day he would be a formidable fighter, and his intelligence amazed Harry every day. He was quick and open-minded, always willing to see things differently. Yes, a lot of that came from his being only eleven years old, but Claude also had a maturity that belied his years. Much of that Harry assumed came from the circumstances he had been forced to participate in, but there were times that Harry saw something else, a glimpse of a warrior beneath the child- like exterior. It reminded him of himself when he was not that much older, and it frightened him. Just as he would become worried, however, Claude's child-like innocence came to the fore again, and Harry generally passed it off as a trick of the light.  
  
His musings were interrupted as they approached a walled compound. Harry and Claude sank gratefully to the ground as Sifu reached up and knocked on the door. A few minutes later a monk opened the door, and after a brief discussion with Sifu, motioned them inside. It was beautiful, full of flowering trees and monks doing their meditations and training. Most were doing exercises Harry had never seen before, but there were two in one corner of the open courtyard performing what looked like stylized sparring. The three foreigners followed the monk inside one of the buildings surrounding the courtyard to a small tea room. There they seated themselves while awaiting someone to come to them.  
  
A few minutes later a wizened man entered the room, bowing to them before he sat. Sifu returned the bow from his seated position, and the two of them began a melodious conversation. Harry and Claude sat back uncomfortably trying not to look too far out of place in the foreign environment of the monastery. Finally, Sifu turned to them with a smile.  
  
"We may stay. I told the Brother that you could show them amazing things, and that you desired to learn from them as well, and he is quite excited about the prospect. Just don't make my faith in you misplaced. We have rooms for as long as we need them as well. Come, we should get some rest now; we have a big day tomorrow."  
  
They followed another monk to a small building that hugged the walls. Inside they found a dormitory type setting with ten beds. There was a small wash room off to the side. Gratefully they sank into their beds, excited to learn what was to come.  
  
England, five months and three weeks earlier:  
  
It was a bedraggled man and his dog that interrupted the meal in the Great Hall. Hushed whispers came from the tables as their occupants recognized Remus Lupin, their former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and confirmed werewolf. He ignored their comments save for a brief smile at Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table as he made his way to Dumbledore.  
  
"What news, Remus? I see that our young miscreant is not with you."  
  
"I am afraid we lost him, Headmaster. I am sorry."  
  
A muffled laugh was heard from Dumbledore's left, but as the only person there was Professor Snape, the students dismissed it as a hallucination. Why would he of all people be laughing? Dumbledore suddenly rose from his seat, beckoning for Remus and his pet to follow him as he walked towards his office. From their vantage point, Ron and Hermione excitedly discussed this latest development.  
  
"What do you think is happening, 'Mione? Is V-V-V. You Know Who doing something?"  
  
"How am I supposed to know? I wish we had Harry's invisibility cloak, then we could find out."  
  
Hermione's voice died off as she remembered again just why they did not have the cloak. What was saddest about remembering it, though, was that it had been almost a week since she had thought about her former best friend. OWL revisions were just too important to allow grief to prevent her from completing them, and Ron seemed to be perfectly happy if he never heard the name Harry Potter again. It was not that they did not miss him; it just hurt too much to think about him not being there. According to Ron, his bed was still in their room, empty and alone behind its curtains. She just did not understand why they were left with so many reminders of Harry's presence when it was hard enough to deal with it at times even without them. Her inquisitive mood broken, she completely forgot to check out why Remus and Sirius were both at Hogwarts.  
  
Another person saw Remus and Sirius enter, but the curiosity of Hermione and Ron was not there. No, Ginny knew exactly what they had been looking for, and her heart dropped a bit when she saw that Harry was not with them. Hedwig had left a little over a week ago and had yet to return. This was not normal for the usually punctual Hedwig. All Ginny could figure was that either something had happened to Hedwig, or Harry was somewhere Hedwig could not follow, and neither thought was welcome. She had gotten over her long time crush on the boy hero, but that did not mean she wanted him to be hurt. Well, maybe a little for leaving everyone like this. It just was not right that he had left without any warning. What right did he have to take everyone's safety into his own hands? Was he really that egotistical to think that he and he alone could decide who could associate with him? Fed up with her fixation on a boy who was just not worth it, she savagely returned to her meal.  
  
When three months had passed and Hedwig was still not back, Ginny was beginning to be seriously worried. All of her free time now was in the library trying to find a locating spell to discover Hedwig's whereabouts and hopefully her condition. Ron and Hermione were becoming suspicious of her now as well because of Hedwig's continued absence. A week or two was one thing, but three months? There was no valid excuse for that, not even that Hedwig was having trouble finding their accountant cousin. Ginny did not know how much more of this she could take. She did not think that they suspected Harry was still alive, but Hermione might connect Hedwig's absence with the frequent visits Hogwarts was receiving from Professor Lupin. It would not take long after that for Ginny's secret to get out, and she really did not want to face the consequences of that. It was imperative then that she find out what had happened to Hedwig, and hopefully Harry as well.  
  
Three days later she found it. It was a complex addendum to an old law regarding mail owls from when their use was first becoming widespread. Apparently all post owls had been owned by the government, and they were having problems with witches and wizards stealing them for their own use. Several solutions had been presented, and although he one that had been adopted was the privatization of the mail service, some enterprising young wizard had developed a potion that, when combined with certain incantations, could determine both the whereabouts of the owl in question but the closest five magic users as well. The only problem was that the potion took ten weeks to prepare. That meant another ten weeks of thinking up alibis for Hedwig's non-appearance in the case that she still had not returned. Sighing in defeat Ginny went to find an empty room in which to start the potion.  
  
Severus Snape had not had this much fun in a long time. Granted, it was humiliating to be forced to recall the treatment the Potter whelp had put him through, but watching Lupin and Black stumbling over their tails (both literally and figuratively) to find Potter was almost worth the earlier shame he had gone through. They could not find any traces of the boy anywhere; it was like he had vanished off the face of the earth. Snape was starting to think he almost admired the boy in unguarded moments. He definitely was different from anything his father had ever been. The James Potter he had known would have taken his status as a hero and run with it, using it to get anything he wanted. His son, however, had only done that for a few years before giving up on it all and turning into one of the most powerful wizards Severus had ever seen. He also showed intelligence in picking his friends as shown by that nasty little Muggle who had broken his wand. That in itself was irritating. It seemed that whenever the boy was an open book, Severus had to reevaluate him. Of course, if he was well and truly gone this time, maybe that little problem was now moot.  
  
Lhasa, Tibet, the present:  
  
Harry rolled out of bed with a groan, the ringing tone of a gong resounding in his ears. Beside him Claude and Sifu rose as well, shrugging on their clothes for breakfast. It was still dark as they left the building, following the line of chanting monks to the dining area where they were served by more monks. They sat down among the now quiet monks to eat. Those who had not seen the three foreigners before saw them now, some smiles sent their way as Sifu was recognized. When they had finished they gathered their dishes and set them with the others' before following them to the courtyard. Once there they were greeted by three monks, one of whom led Sifu away while the other two stayed with Harry and Claude. The younger of the two addressed them in halting French.  
  
"You will come with us now."  
  
Without further introduction the two monks turned and walked away, obviously expecting Harry and Claude to follow. They soon arrived in another section of the compound, this one apparently a library, which was filled with almost fifty monks writing or copying books. Harry and Claude were led to a corner of the room where they were motioned to a mat on the floor. The monk who had spoken then handed them a basket full of everyday objects and settled back as his companion started Harry and Claude on a language lesson the likes of which they had never seen.  
  
When about two hours had passed, the basket was taken away, and Harry was led away from Claude. His guide brought him to a pile of wood as tall as he was and approximately ten meters by ten meters. Without words he was handed an ax, the order being quite clear. Harry set into the work with a will. It was not that different from what he had grown up doing after all. After about half an hour, Harry heard wing beats from a large bird over head. He looked up just in time to catch an exhausted Hedwig as she fell into his arms. Hurriedly checking her over to see if she was all right, Harry noticed the letter. Pocketing it he went to find a monk. Fortunately, the sight of an obviously unhealthy bird was a universal sign that it needed help, and Harry was soon in what was probably what passed for an infirmary at the monastery. An older monk relieved him of his burden, and after finally communicating that Hedwig would be fine, managed to get Harry to return to his work. He returned to the wood, cutting it until another gong told him it was not time for lunch. Not seeing either Sifu or Claude, he settled into a corner to read the letter as he ate.  
  
England, the present:  
  
Ginny sat back with a satisfied smile. She had finally finished the potion, and it actually looked correct. It was too bad Professor Snape could not know about this accomplishment, it probably would have saved her from the Gryffindor curse in Potions. She quickly spoke the last words of the incantation and brought out a piece of parchment and one of Hedwig's feathers, tossing them into the cauldron. A noxious green mist rose from the bubbling liquid, obscuring the cauldron from view. When the room was clear again, all that was left was a perfectly dry piece of parchment resting on the metal bottom. Ginny was almost shivering in anticipation as she quickly drew it out. However, her excitement turned to despair as she realized that it was blank. She sat there despondently while she tried to determine what exactly had gone wrong. Just as she was about to throw in the towel, the same mist floated in the window and hovered around the parchment. When it disappeared once more, the parchment was covered in writing. She tore the parchment up from its position on the floor almost greedily. Finally she could find just where Hedwig was. In writing of the same green as the mist the paper said:  
  
Hedwig  
  
Exhausted  
  
The Dining Hall, Desa Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet, Asia  
  
And below this were the names of the five wizards closest to the owl.  
  
Lhak-pa Gyal-tshen  
  
Lobsang  
  
Harry Potter  
  
Ngawang  
  
Claude Riddle  
  
A/N: So there it was at last. Props to my betas Ters and Kraeg001 as well as to Afroman for his suggestions. Just for clarification, Claude is not Voldemort's heir, son, grandson, etc., but a relative from his much-hated father's side of the family. Wow, I hit 200 reviews today!!! Never thought it could happen. Finally, here are some responses to said reviews:  
  
no: yeah, Sifu's name should have been familiar to her, and for that mistake I apologize, but to keep the story simple I am going to leave it in there unless I decide to bring her back at a future point.  
  
Szihuoko: Don't expect any romance in this fic. I think it would ruin the mood I am trying to set, and personally I just can't stand the thought of making Harry yet another hormone driven teenager. That and the small problem of getting a girl into a Tibetan monastery.  
  
Melissa: No, I have not read "Lost Horizons". I can't find a copy either. Any suggestions on where I could find it?  
  
Shawn and Nirnaeth: Just wow. You guys put as much thinking in as I did lol. Don't expect harry to become a pawn. I've read to many stories where he is either a pan, or if not a pawn, dark as heck. Keep reviewing, the comments were incredible.  
  
Zorro x: Sorry, but Dumbledore was serious. I don't think JK wrote him THAT manipulative, but he is a player. I need him this manipulative for the story so that his attempts to bring Harry back only drive him further away.  
  
Prophetess of Hearts: Hey, hey. Exactly!  
  
And many thanks to the rest of you. Without all of you I don't think I would have kept even my admittedly erratic update schedule. Peace. 


	17. 16 Of Monks, Wizards, and Negotiations

Chapter 16  
Of Monks, Wizards, and Negotiations  
  
American Kang Duk Won Creed  
  
I stand before you empty handed  
My weapons are my mind and body  
Shall I be forced to defend  
I will abide by the code  
Using only the necessary force  
To counter the opposing force  
Be it necessary, here then are my weapons  
My mind and body  
  
The monk's spade flashed through the air, whistling as it cut a few stray locks of hair from Sifu's head. Sifu spun as he evaded the strike and landed in a deep crouch, one foot out in front and his staff stretched out behind him. Even as he landed he was attacked again with the spade. Without thought he brought his staff firmly to the ground to propel him into a flip that carried him above the strike. Throwing his staff out he caught the spade handle, ripping it from the monk's grasp even as Sifu lost the staff as well. The monk came forward undeterred with a high kick that Sifu dodged easily. Once he had recovered himself, Sifu attacked with a flurry of blows that left the monk hard-pressed to defend himself though none got through. Finally Sifu made his mistake. His last kick left a slight opening that allowed the monk to grasp his leading hand which he then twirled almost carelessly, although the force of the spin became apparent as Sifu was hurled face first into the ground. The monk moved back to allow Sifu to spring upright again. Slowly they faced each other and bowed.  
  
Harry was speechless. He had been cutting wood as he had done every afternoon that week when he heard the noises in the adjacent training area. Much to his surprise he had seen Sifu sparring one of the senior monks Harry had yet to meet. Even though he had seen Sifu fight before, it had been nothing compared to the beauty of the display before him now. Sighing in longing he returned to his work. Every morning he and Claude were sequestered in a room with the same two monks receiving a crash course in Tibetan. Following these lessons they had lunch where some days they saw Sifu but generally ate by themselves. Following lunch Claude went with the two monks while Harry was sent to chop the wood needed for the next day. It was unbelievable how much was required for a monastery. The two times he had finished with time to spare before supper he had been sent to sweep the innumerable rooms in the complex. He had yet to do any practice but his muscles were feeling as if he had been having twenty-four hour training sessions with Sifu.  
  
After supper on his first day he had been brought to one of the elder monks and was told to recount his story. Sifu had told him previously that this would happen and when it did, to hold nothing back, so Harry told everything. He started with his scar and told it all up to the TriWizard Tournament and the summer and following travels with Sifu. He had left nothing out, even telling them all about him being a wizard. To his amazement they had not been shocked by this claim. In fact, he was introduced to three other monks who, through a translator, told him that they were wizards as well. All three had learned their skills from a master and were passing them on in turn to their apprentices, two young men and a girl who resided in a small village up the mountain. They were very interested in Harry's techniques and had spent a couple evenings in demonstrations. It turned out that they used wands as similar to Harry's own, one had a full length staff much like the pictures of Merlin Harry had seen as a child, and the last used a sword of all things, which although it was made out of wood had an edge as sharp as any sword back at Hogwarts.  
  
What little time Harry had to himself he used studying his newly expanded collection of books on wandless magic. The trip to the monastery from the port in India had provided ample opportunity to visit other magic shops, and thanks to the graciousness of a couple shopkeepers as well as their knowledge of translation charms, Harry had been able to expand his resource base considerably. All that time on the cargo ship had allowed him to read all his books several times, so this was a welcome addition. Harry still had Hedwig there as well while he attempted to write a suitable response to Ginny's letter. He had to admit that he had indeed been rather shortsighted in his flight, not thinking of what it was going to do to his two best friends. However, as much as it hurt him to think of what they were going through, his determination remained the same. With him gone it was infinitely safer for them. Now they did not have to worry about Voldemort coming for them to get at him. Harry was not stupid; he knew that he had been Voldemort's only real enemy once his power was regained. On the other hand, though, his being there would undoubtedly have forced Voldemort's hand as he tried to kill Harry before he was fully trained. Now they could both prepare at their own speed, even if Harry had to work much harder to reach Voldemort's level. Just because he had left did not mean he was planning on skipping out on his destiny. Something had made the Killing Curse rebound, and that same thing had made Harry a target for the rest of his life, and the only thing that could remove that threat was Harry killing Voldemort, so that is what he was going to do.  
  
A disturbance at the gates drew Harry's attention away from his work. A harsh and decidedly English voice was arguing with the more melodic tones of one of the few brothers who spoke the language. Curious as to whom this new visitor was, Harry set down his axe and started to walk towards the gates.  
  
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts:  
When Ginny saw the last name Riddle on the list of people near Hedwig, her heart leapt to her throat. She could hardly forget the devil that had made her first year a living hell, and it would be folly to think that the common surname was merely a coincidence. What was she to do now, then? She had given Harry her word that she would tell no one of his survival, but not to tell could lead to Harry being hurt, and she could not do that either. Gathering herself she quickly picked up her things and ran towards Professor Dumbledore's office.  
  
Thankfully she remembered what Ron had told her once about the Headmaster's fascination with candy passwords and after a few tries, "'Chocolate Frogs' proved to be the key. Taking the steps two at a time she was soon in the office, almost out of breath from her run. Bursting through the door she interrupted a surprised Dumbledore from his work.  
  
"Headmaster! Headmaster!"  
  
"Miss Weasley? What can I do for you today?"  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, but I never told you, and now he could be in trouble?"  
  
"Told me about what? Come now, you know you can tell me anything."  
  
"It's Harry, sir, he's alive!"  
  
"Alive, you say? And how do you know this?"  
  
"You know he gave me his owl before he left? Well, it wasn't sad like a magical animal would be when its master died, so I sent a letter, and he replied. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone, but I think he's in trouble."  
  
"It's quite alright, Miss Weasley, I'm sure you meant well. However, what sort of trouble might he be in?"  
  
"Well, I sent him another letter right after school started, but Hedwig never came back so I started to worry. I found a potion that would tell the location of an owl as well as the wizards nearest to it, so I made it. I finished it today. Here are the results."  
  
Nervously she handed him the paper. Dumbledore looked over it quietly, his face settling into a frown as he reached the least name on the list.  
  
"I take it you understood the significance of this last name from your regrettable experiences in first year?"  
  
"Yes, sir. I came to you right away."  
  
"Thank you. In light of this, your most recent actions, I think I can say that you did the right thing. I must ask you to continue to keep this secret as there are people who would use this knowledge for their own ends. Can you do that for me, Miss Weasley?"  
  
"O-o-of course, sir, I won't tell anyone. Will Harry be alright?"  
  
"If I have any say in it, yes, he will be alright. Run along now; I believe you have a class."  
  
Ginny turned and walked slowly out the door, praying she had done the right thing. In her wake she left the Headmaster looking over the document once more.  
  
The Headmaster Ponders:  
Dumbledore sat there in silence as the young Weasley left. This was a welcome turn of events that was for sure. One thing puzzled him, and that was young Potter's choice of Virginia Weasley as a confidant. Surely Miss Granger or Mr. Weasley would have been a more obvious choice? Ah well, that was a useless line of thought. What was important now was that Harry's location had been determined. The existence of this Claude Riddle was puzzling to say the least. To the best of his knowledge, Voldemort was the only surviving Riddle after his elimination of the rest of his family. However, to assume a mere coincidence in last names would be to turn his back on the always changing face of magic. The only option was to chase Harry yet another time while being ready to face Death Eater's if need be. Slightly irritated at Harry's continued stubbornness and ability to evade his pursuers, Albus turned to the fireplace and threw in some powder.  
  
"Sirius? I need you to gather a team. I have a location for you."  
  
Sirius and Remus take action:  
It had taken almost a week for Sirius and Remus to get the men to back them up. Granted, there was no shortage of men willing to get in a fight, but the problem was getting those who knew of Sirius' innocence and were not planning on turning him in. Once they had their team, eight other men prepared for the worst, they met at Hogwarts under cover of darkness. The portkey had been prepared and was ready to go by the time they arrived, so a touch was all that was required for the otherwise arduous journey to mountainous Tibet. Their destination had been a small field outside of the city of Lhasa from which they began the walk to the monastery found by the Weasley girl's potion. As they had previously decided not to use apparation due to their lack of knowledge of the terrain, it was afternoon by the time they reached the gates. Raising his hand to the door, Sirius knocked loudly.  
  
A few minutes of impatient waiting later a wizened man eased the door open quietly and addressed them in another tongue. After realizing they could not understand, the monk motioned for them to wait and disappeared inside once more. Another monk was soon with them, addressing them in English.  
  
"What do you seek here, sirs?"  
  
"We are looking for a boy. He would be around fifteen years of age with blonde hair. He is English like us and he is very important to us. Could we see him?"  
  
"I am sorry you came this way for nothing. All who enter these gates are dead to the world unless they wish to return."  
  
"You can't say that! We know he is here, and we need to see him!"  
  
"You cannot, sir, I am truly sorry."  
  
As they spoke Sirius saw other faces through the slightly open doorway; other monks curious as to the intrusion into their lives. He then saw something that made him start. There in the midst of the monks, trying to get a glimpse of him was an obviously European boy, about the same age as Harry and fitting the description Snape and the aurors had given them.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
The boy looked at him in shock, recognized him and ran the other way into one of the buildings. Sirius was perplexed. While he had not had the closest relationship with his godson, he had done nothing to inspire fear; at least not once Harry had realized that he was actually innocent of his parents' deaths. So why was Harry, for he was sure that was who it was, running away? Without another thought Sirius tried to follow. He soon met resistance in the form of the door slamming in his face. Try as he might, it refused to budge, and attempts to apparate inside proved fruitless as well. It appeared that anti-apparation barriers similar to those at Hogwarts were in place. Defeated, Sirius turned to Remus and the other men to decide on what to do next.  
  
A member of the team addressed him.  
  
"We've verified the identity of the kid, sir. It is definitely Potter. What do you want us to do?"  
  
"Stay put for the moment I suppose. With that apparation ward in place we cannot get over the walls, and to try to force entry may be perceived as an attack."  
  
"But what if they are hurting Harry, Sirius?" Remus asked. "What are we going to do to protect him?"  
  
"I don't see anything we can do at the moment. I mean he seemed to be free with that glimpse of him, so it would be best not to aggravate the situation. They can't ignore us forever or stay in there indefinitely, so sooner or later we will either get a chance to get in or someone will come out and talk. Until then I want two man teams to surround the compound to watch every vantage point. Remus and I will stay here; the rest of you move out."  
  
The two of them settled in for a long wait in front of the gates. However, it was only an hour before the gates opened and two monks came out: the younger monk from before and an older, obviously important monk. After introducing himself, the older monk launched into a monologue that was then translated by the younger man.  
  
"I understand that you knew young Harry before his arrival. He is a troubled youth, driven by forces of destiny he does not yet understand. Yes, we know about Voldemort and his recent resurrection. I also know that Harry blames himself for a death he had no control over and wishes to gain the strength to stop future needless deaths. Your presence would be a hindrance to this, and I must ask you to leave. Fear not; he is perfectly safe here. There are those who can protect him from your magic and those who can defend him from an attack of a more physical nature."  
  
"We cannot accept that. There is someone there who may be connected to He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and to not discover who it is would be dangerous. Besides, this is my godson; you cannot keep me from him!"  
  
"He does not wish to confront you and be forced to return to England. This relative must be the other boy, Claude. You have nothing to fear from him. He is but a child, and a good one with much potential. Leave the training to us and they will both become men you can be proud of."  
  
"You expect us to be satisfied with this?"  
  
Sirius was flabbergasted. Who did this monk think he was? For all he knew this could be a Death Eater stronghold. On the other hand, they were drastically outnumbered and the Order did not yet have the manpower for an assault of this magnitude. It seemed they had no choice but to accept the decision and return to Dumbledore. Hopefully nothing bad would come of it. It took another five minutes of frantic conferral with Remus for them to accept the inevitable.  
  
"Well, I suppose we have to be, don't we. Okay. We will leave four men behind however to secure the area in case of attack. Take it or leave it."  
  
"We will allow them to stay in the houses nearby, but they may not enter the monastery. It is only for those committed to bettering themselves."  
  
With that the monks turned and went back inside. Remus and Sirius just looked at each other for a few minutes before moving to gather the rest of the men. They might not like their options, but to start a war with the monastery would have resulted in a much worse situation, of that they were sure. With nothing else to do, they assigned four of the men to remain and with the rest of them touched one of the return Portkeys to report to Dumbledore back at Hogwarts.  
  
A/N: Hey all thanks for reading. Props to my betas Ters and Kraeg001 as usual. Thanks to all the reviewers as well - keep reviewing, they make me feel good lol. Shawn Pickett - Yah, Dumbledore's got something coming if he thinks he can manipulate Harry anymore lol. While not being a Dumbledore hater, too many people write him as a magnanimous version of God on earth, so I had to do it different.  
  
Rachel A. Prongs - I'm afraid Ginny couldn't keep her mouth shut - she just wouldn't listen lol. Really though she is one of the few to know the true significance of the name Riddle, so I couldn't write it any other way. Hope it worked out just as well.  
  
Orome1 - The entrance into the country wasn't covered just because it was not an important plot point. I didn't think that the six months of travel and training would be relevant enough for more than a brief mention - that and my attempts to write them all went south pretty quickly.  
  
ReflectionsofReality - That's an interesting little description. Unfortunately (for me) I'm too darn logical to really grasp it. I guess that's what comes of being a wannabe scientist with no outside the box thinking. Also, your fic has been enjoyable as well - keep it up! 


	18. Chapter 17 Further In

Chapter 17  
Further In  
  
A sword glistening  
Drawn in the morning sunlight  
Beauty in deadly form  
  
The next two days were somewhat awkward for Harry. As much as he regretted not talking to Sirius and Remus, doing so would have definitely taken away his resolve to remove himself from the wizarding world. Of course, it seemed to be almost impossible to do that, even when he was no longer Harry Potter. Even now there were wizards outside of the gates just waiting for someone, anyone, to make a move. It did not even need to be a wrong move; any move would do, and they were just anxious enough to cause a lot of damage. Of course Sirius had told the monks that they were only for Harry's safety, but everyone knew they were also there to bundle Harry back to England if he even breathed over the monastery walls. As much as he understood that people wanted him to go "home", the closest to home had been Hogwarts and Cedric's death had ruined that beyond repair. No, Sifu and Claude were home now. They did not expect anything of him other than himself, and that was something he had never experienced before. Even Ron and Hermione had always expected a little more out of him. He was a Potter, so of course he would play Quidditch. He was The Boy Who Lived, so he was automatically a fantastic wizard. He had faced Voldemort, so of course this fifteen year old had to defeat him - it did not matter that Voldemort had decades more experience and a lot more power at his disposal. After all, what were the Dark Arts but power and Harry would be damned to Hell before he would stoop that low. For now all he had to do was live and hope that Sifu and the monks decided he was worth the effort. Sifu would, he knew, and the monks said they would let nothing happen to him that he did not want, but there was a difference between hearing it and seeing it.  
  
It had taken a while, but Hedwig was finally doing better. Her trip had taken more out of her than normal, probably because Harry had never stopped traveling the entire time and homing in on his signature had taken Hedwig on a merry round of 'chase-the-tail' across Europe and most of Asia. The monks had used a combination of natural healing and magic from one of the resident wizards to bring her back to health, and she was finally ready to get back to work. The letter to Ginny had been hard. Responding to her in the first place had probably been an unwise decision, but he would not regret it now. She had given him a line back to the only family that had accepted him and that meant a lot to him. Of course this meant he was now compelled to write a return letter, even though he had a slight suspicion on how soon after Hedwig's arrival Sirius and Remus had appeared. Even if Ginny had told someone, there had to be a good reason; she had kept his secret this long without a problem after all. Perhaps she would say something in her reply, he thought, releasing Hedwig for her return. Until then he could only wait.  
  
England:  
  
Virginia Weasley was a distraught witch. Not weeping, she would never admit to something such as that. No, she was worried - worried for a friend, and she could do nothing about it. Yes, she had told the Headmaster, but apparently she was not mature enough to know what had been the result of her report. It had been a week since her meeting and she had yet to hear anything, Harry included. She was resigned to another long day ahead of her when her breakfast was quite summarily interrupted by an obviously tired Hedwig landing in the middle of her halfway eaten meal. Eyes widening in shock, Ginny grabbed the owl off the table and rushed out, ignoring the quizzical looks she received from her housemates. Once safely alone she shakily removed the letter. It was short and simple, something she had grown used to even before Harry had left.  
  
Dear Ginny, I received your letter. I don't know when you sent it, and if it was a long time ago, I am sorry. We have been traveling and it took Hedwig a while to find us again. I am staying with good people now and am learning a lot. Don't worry about me. Is everything all right at Hogwarts? I hope everyone is managing all right with classes. Harry  
  
It was not the most satisfactory letter she had ever received, but at least Harry was all right. That was all she could hold onto for now until Harry got over his run from life mentality and faced his future. Hopefully it would be soon.  
  
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was a busy man. Voldemort's power was on the rise, and all of his efforts were spent trying to counteract this threat. However, he was not so busy that a visit by two former students could be ignored. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin strode into his office, clothes dusty from their travels but not looking as if they had returned from the wars as their predecessor had.  
  
"Sirius. Remus. What a pleasant surprise. I see you do not have young Mr. Potter with you. Where is he?"  
  
"I'm afraid he did not return, sir. We never even got the chance to talk to him. He is living in a Buddhist monastery and the monks refused to give him up," Remus replied.  
  
"Could you not apparate in and take him away?"  
  
"There were apparation wards all over the area. Apparently he has entered something of a wizard community there. We left a team just in case he either tried to leave or someone came after him. We didn't know what else to do."  
  
"I think you made the right decision. As much as I too would like to bring Harry back to the safety of Hogwarts, I cannot afford any more effort to speed his return. I have just received word that Death Eater activity is on the rise in rural communities in Ireland and I feel that Harry must defend himself. He has made his choice, and until the threat of Voldemort is removed, we cannot do anything about it. I am truly sorry to force you into this."  
  
Sirius spoke up angrily. "You actually expect us to give up on him just like that? He is James' son, for God's sake! I would die for the boy!"  
  
"And I am afraid I may ask that of all of you someday. If we stop Voldemort, the threat to Harry is gone, is it not? His defeat would ensure that every child could grow in a world better than you were forced to live in. Would you really abandon that dream to follow Harry through years when you could be of help here?"  
  
"You're right Headmaster, I'm sorry," he replied. "Maybe we can keep Harry from all of this, I don't know; but I guess it is worth a try."  
  
"Very good. Now we shall keep his watchers in place. Perhaps he will give us an opportunity yet. If they do not succeed, though, no more attempts will be made. Good day to you two. I believe that you may find something to do at Headquarters."  
  
With that a sobered duo left the office. Perhaps one day they would see Harry again, but as much as they wanted it to be now, Dumbledore was right as always. It was safer for him out there where no one else knew him. Maybe someday it would be safe.  
  
Tibet:  
  
Harry finished his form with a bow and backed out of the training area. Sifu had him for an hour a day now, something that Harry was immensely grateful for as it cut down on all of the time he been spending splitting wood. He still spent a lot of time in language studies and with the other wizards exchanging knowledge but this was his first chance at physical training since his arrival. Not surprisingly, most of what they were studying was just a review since the six months of travel had kept the practice time to a minimum. The time on the ship had been full of practice, but once they hit the mainland, it just was not practical to train in a full bus. They had time now, though. As long as Harry kept a low profile he should be safe to live his life as he chose.  
  
The next day was a somber affair. One of the older monks had passed in the night and arrangements were being made for his burial. As they were not monks, Harry, Sifu, and Claude were left to their own devices for a few days until the ceremonies were complete. When the prayers were finished and the body ready to leave, the monastery emptied except for them and a few monks to ensure the monastery was not violated by the wizards outside. In the end, it was a good thing that those precautions were taken, because as soon as the large group of monks had left the wizards came in. No doubt they were attempting to capture Harry, but their attempts were thwarted by the monks left on guard. Harry did not even know of their presence until he rounded a corner to see the last one struck down with a bo. The wizards were summarily forced to leave after that little incident, and they were banned from the area as well. It seemed that no one cared much for the well being of someone who was willing to attack a monk. At least now Harry no longer had to worry about them, something that became abundantly clear when he had to collect the wood on top of cutting it the next day.  
  
A/N: I realize this is an absurdly short chapter for such a long wait, but I promise there is a reason. That, and 'the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley.' Thanks for the reviews all, and I hope that the story continues to whet your interest. As always, Peace. 


	19. Chapter 18 Approaching War

**Chapter 18**

**Approaching War**

Training is bloodless battle, and battle is bloody training.

            After their humiliating defeat at the handles of Muggles, the four wizards left in place by Sirius and Remus to watch over and hopefully bring home Harry were summarily expelled from the region around Lhasa.  Without the ability to be near their target, they went back to England immediately to report their failure.  To their surprise, rather than being replaced, the situation was ignored.  Instead they were put on reconnaissance duty right there in England to determine the plans of the Dark Lord.  They were curious to know what would happen to their former target, but it was a relief to be back in civilization again, and they soon put it in the back of their mind as more important concerns came to light.

_Six months later:_

            Harry put away the latest letter from Ginny with a sigh.  The most recent news from England included the first Death Eater attacks in fifteen years.  A muggle gas station had exploded from a curse that of course had the muggles in an uproar trying to find the cause.  It was but one in a number of muggle directed attacks.  The death toll was slight now, but it was only a matter of time before it rose.  Of course the presence of the Dark Mark had made the Ministry finally announce that Voldemort had indeed returned, and Auror operations had captured some of the Death Eaters responsible for these latest actions.  Of course, if Harry had been there, he was sure it would have been much worse.  After all, Voldemort did not seem to be able to leave him alone, and the resurrection spell would probably have made things worse.  No, this had definitely been the right decision; nothing could convince him otherwise.

            He was training full time now, and Claude was as well.  It had been a rough first couple of months, but after they had gone through the intense language training and all of the dull chores, the training had started for both of them.  Claude showed an astonishing aptitude for the more non-violent techniques of throws and holds, and his little feat of accidental magic a few weeks into training had astonished everyone.  They had been relaxing together in one of their few breaks when a nearby student had lost the grip on his short bo.  After it had come to a halt in mid-air a few inches from Claude's head it had been quite obvious that whatever had made him non-magical before was gone.  He now studied with Harry, and like Harry used the meditations from their training to learn wandless magic rather than depending on a focal point.  Of course he was still quite weak and not very advanced, but as he was only twelve, that was not much of a concern.  It was just as much a learning experience for Harry to be teaching because now he had to actually understand the theory behind everything he taught.  All in all, life was good.

_Eight months later:_

            Voldemort was on the rise, there was no denying that now.  Even here thousands of miles away there was talk about a dark wizard in England.  Even now wizards and witches were gathering, readying themselves in the event that the coming war reached them.  Harry found himself caught up in the preparations despite himself.  As the only person to have seen Voldemort in his most recent incarnation still alive, he was looked to for tactical advice.  It was strange to be a sixteen year old boy and be a tactician at the same time.  Training in both magic and the martial arts continued regardless of course; a bulwark against the insanity that was rapidly retaking Harry's life.  The monks were involved as well, providing facilities for the newly arrived wizards and their families.  It had been Sifu's idea to ensure that they knew the arts; after all, it had served Harry well, so what could it do for fully trained magic users?  

            Their day to day life was full of training and meetings.  Like an army boot camp the day began early as the sun rose with stretching and meditation exercises followed by breakfast.  After breakfast the trainees split into small squads that trained together.  The squads helped them become dependent on their squad-mates in a battle situation, and they were split up so that people of varying talents and skill levels were forced to work together, thus allowing the squads to be multi-dimensional.  Depending on the day, either magical training or physical training filled a squad's morning.  There were many different training grounds designed to simulate many different types of environments, something made easy with magic.  Harry's squad consisted of himself and nine others, although Claude frequently joined in some of their training sessions, and Sifu led their martial arts training.  After the initial training session, before lunch, trainees generally did work around the community to keep everything in working order.  People shared all the chores, with even the leaders pitching in to help.  It was about as close to a classless society as one could come, with leaders being those who knew the most on a particular subject, age or gender notwithstanding.  After lunch, training sessions were reversed.  Those who had started with physical training began spell work, and vice versa.  Following this the squads split up so that those with particular talents such as potions or charms could study together.  Evenings were spent in various ways by the wizards and witches, but Harry, Sifu, and Claude usually meditated or worked on various techniques in the seclusion of the mountainside.

            It was a cold, windy day on the mountain when Sifu was enlightened.  He was with Harry and Claude practicing their meditations.  The past few weeks had been hard.  Here he was with children who were more powerful than he, who could do things he had always thought impossible, but now they were joined by dozens of people like them.  It was still unnerving to see objects flying around the growing community with nothing supporting them.  However, the same things that frightened him also made him think.  Harry had always described magic with colors: green for death, blue and yellow for protection, etcetera.  Even if he could not use the magic, should he not be able to see it?  What was magic after all but an extension of a heretofore unknown part of the chi?  So he focused his meditations on rediscovering chi, opening his mind to the possibility that something else was out there.  It was rather anticlimactic when it happened, just the addition of a few new colors to the spectrum of his vision.  He was trying to focus when a giggle interrupted him.  He opened his eyes to reprimand Claude for not finishing his exercises, but the pale blue light extending from Claude's hand to a rock hanging in the air stopped him.  Cautiously he reached out to the light, ignoring Claude's consternation when his spell was broken by Sifu's hand.  Harry merely looked at him, understanding slowly coming over him about hat had just happened.  

"You saw?" he asked.

"I saw the magic!  It was really there!" Sifu replied.  "It was blue, and hitting my hand made it disappear!"

            Harry just smiled before returning to his meditations, leaving Sifu to watch Claude show off all the colors he could produce with various spells.  Of course this new development was important, as it opened up the possibility of muggles being able to fight back at magic users attacking them, but that could come later.  After all, they would need someone to teach them, and Sifu had to understand it himself first.  That would come in time, and time was something Harry did not worry about much anymore.  

_England__:_

            Fifth year was definitely not as much fun as everyone claimed.  Of course, having your brother's girlfriend constantly on your case to prepare for OWLs was really not enjoyable.  It did not help that both Hermione and Ron were prefects now, either.  Any attempts for a little extracurricular liaison were shot down by either Ron keeping his little sister from the 'big, bad world' or Hermione just on general principles.  At least this way she was bound to get good OWL scores, though.  It was somewhat hard to find anything else to do when most of your friends were threatened away by your brother.  

            Away from Hogwarts, things were not so clear cut.  Both Bill and Charlie were back in the country using their talents to fight the approaching war.  Percy and her father worked with the Ministry, trying to ready the populace for what was coming.  Even the twins were more serious than usual.  They had opened a joke shop as they had planned, but they used it as a base for espionage with their less legal 'pranks'.  Ron, of course, still had his hero mentality and was planning on becoming an auror when he graduated.  It seemed that everyone who was intelligent and observant enough to see the bleak future was preparing to fight and perhaps die, but here she was just worrying about school, and to be honest she really did not care.  Why could she not have a normal life?  What was it really worth to sacrifice everything and never truly live?  Ah well, she did not have much of a choice, unfortunately, and sitting here thinking about it only made it worse.  Sighing, she turned back to her studies as the silence of the library closed around her.

_London__:_

            The alarms rang in the Auror headquarters, announcing another attack.  Quickly the on-duty Aurors threw on their battle cloaks and apparated in battle formation to the location.  They arrived in a narrow street with closely packed apartment buildings on either side.  Almost immediately they were set upon by the Death Eaters in the streets and soon found themselves in full retreat as the Death Eaters were reinforced by those who had been in the houses.  Spells flew everywhere, both of the standard and Unforgivable variety.  Shields were quickly erected and destroyed as the Death Eaters tried to destroy the trained defense the Aurors put forth.  The Death Eaters knew numerous spells, but their weakness was a lack of squad training, something that allowed the slow retreat of the Aurors to not become a route.  Thankfully the Auror reinforcements soon came in as well as the off-duty and on-assignment Aurors apparated in.  In the face of this combined force the Death Eaters soon apparated out, leaving the wounded behind to be captured or die.  

            In the aftermath, the Aurors counted their losses, apparating the prisoners to holding cells and the wounded to St. Mungo's.  Once the streets were clear the mop-up teams moved into the buildings, obliviating muggles and ensuring that the wounds were not obviously unnatural.  Within twenty minutes the street was clear again, the only sign that something had happened being the delayed arrival of muggle police at the scene.  Unfortunately, this was not an uncommon occurrence anymore.  Although not a daily or even weekly event, these raids happened with much more frequency than these peace-time Aurors were used to, and they were fast becoming battle-hardened veterans.  Although they had started as frightened men, they were now ready to fight, unlike the rest of the wizarding community.  There had been no large attacks on magical establishments or homes, but the knowledge that the Death Eaters were back and taking out muggles left a feeling of helplessness and fear.  This fear was propagated by the knowledge that the person who had beaten You Know Who before was dead, killed by the very muggles he had saved.  There were some who believed he could not have died so base a death of course, but for the most part they were derided as lunatics and fools.  As those who knew better kept it to themselves, hope was not forthcoming to the helpless witches and wizards of England.

_Just over two years later:_

            Ginny woke up excited for the coming day.  It had taken seven years, but finally it was her last day at Hogwarts.  It was not that she disliked the school, but having started off on the wrong foot, being possessed by Tom Riddle and all, really had not opened doorways to popularity.  Yes, she had her core group of friends, but they were all leaving now to fight in a war they had not started.  She had been invited to join the army as a healer, but had declined, much to her family's dismay and, lately, ire.  They just did not understand why she would not help them in what was becoming an increasingly one sided battle as the years wore on.  Of course she could not tell them that the reason for her refusal was to collect a gone, but not forgotten, scarred wizard.  It was time for him to face his destiny, something she had only found out about recently.  A jaunt into the Restricted Section of the library had led to the discovery of a book about blood ties that pointed out that the only person able to kill Voldemort was the one who shared his blood – in this case, Harry.  She had kept in touch with him over the years as they matured, and she knew that he would give his life to stop evil if he had too.  It was only recently that she had finally really understood why he had left.  With Voldemort's public announcement of his return a few months ago, the war had moved from a smattering of skirmishes to full scale, bloody battles.  It was nothing like the old stories of glory to be won.  On the contrary, it was bloody; dirty; and, above all, evil.  Good people were forced to uncover their base natures to help family and friends, and she watched her brothers become hardened killers.  Even Percy was a killer now, one of the Ministry Hit Squad that targeted Death Eater leadership positions.  His reputation had led her family's house to be destroyed in a punitive raid that her mother had barely escaped.  It was then that Ginny finally felt what Harry had feared followed the TriWizard Tournament.  To see your family in grave danger because of the actions of that same family was frightening at the least.  

            It was this experience that made her decide her current course of action.  Whenever the forces met, the Light side held its own until Voldemort took the field. When he did it was like a tide washed his opposition away.  No one could face him except for Harry, and come hell or high water she was bringing him back.  With that plan in mind she had told her parents she needed to get away for a while after graduation, and as she was in her majority they could not stop her despite their pleas.  As much as she wanted to tell them of her plans, she could not in the event she failed.  She was leaving as soon as the ceremony ended, walking out of Hogwarts and apparating to one of the International Floo Hubs.  From there she planned on flooing to Katmandu, Nepal, the nearest hub outside of China.  A long broom ride would bring her to Harry and his companions and hopefully to someone willing to return to end this dirty thing they called war.  

_Tibet__:_

            Harry and Claude dropped into their stances at Sifu's command, circling each other warily.  Claude had proven himself a formidable opponent even at fifteen, reminding Harry of himself at that age, minus the overwhelming responsibility of having to face Voldemort of course.  Claude made the first move as usual, his impatience overcoming a need to understand his opponent's intentions.  Harry dodged the spell with a slight feint to the right before attacking with a petrifying hex of his own.  It merely bounced off Claude's shield, the magic radiating around him harmlessly.  Sifu, meanwhile, looked on in delight.  It never got old for him to watch the magic they used or its effects now that he could actually see it.  Harry ended the magical portion of the duel quickly by launching a spinning kick at Claude's head.  The boy flattened himself underneath it, sending a fist into one of the nerve clusters on Harry's leg as he soared overhead.  Harry fell to the ground with a grunt, hitting the leg again himself to end the lack of feeling.  Claude merely looked at him with a smile, proud of having gotten a strike in on Harry.  Then, without warning he launched his own attack, feinting with a high punch before executing a sweep at Harry's legs.  The sweep was easily avoided, and Harry used it as a launching point to step within Claude's guard. Grasping his robes, Harry pivoted quickly, sending Claude flying to the opposite side of the ring.  Moving to follow up on his attack, Harry stopped in consternation when a girl walked through the door behind Claude.  This was not as surprising as it would have been before.  Ever since the wizarding community had been established to train potential warriors, Harry, Sifu, and Claude had been living outside of the monastery walls in a compound they had built with the help of magic.  Thus, it was normal for people to come in on training sessions, etcetera, to learn new techniques.  However, none of them had red hair, something Harry had not seen since leaving Europe.  Knowing only one red-haired person who would know where he was, Harry was understandably in shock at her presence.

"Ginny?  Is that you?"

"Harry?  Merlin, I've finally found you!  Do you know how hard it is to find someone in the middle of a closed country?"

            Harry just looked at her, stunned.  Sifu and Claude looked bemused as well, but not nearly as shocked as Harry.  Finally, Claude broke the silence.

"Harry, you didn't tell me that your pen pal was so beautiful!"

            Harry started laughing as Ginny blushed at the comment.

"Come sit down," Harry said, gesturing at a table at the side of the training area.  Looking over at two wizards who had been waiting for their turn in the ring, he said, in Tibetan, "It's your turn now, this will take a while."

            The four of them sat down at the table, Ginny under intense scrutiny as she settled into her seat.  

"Not to be rude, Ginny, because it's great to see you, but why are you here?" Harry asked.  

"You know what I've been writing to you about how Voldemort is back?  Well, he is, to be blunt, unstoppable.  His armies are no stronger than the Ministry's or the members of the Order of the Phoenix, but he himself cannot be stopped.  Even Dumbledore tried, and he was put in the hospital wing for almost a month.  I found some information on the ritual from the Tournament, and because he has your blood, you're now the only person who can kill him.  I know you wanted to leave everything behind, but, Harry, we need you to come back.  You're our only hope."

            Harry sighed in defeat at her words.  

"I never want to go back; there are too many things I wanted to get away from.  Are you sure it is the only way?"

"Positive.  Trust me, I wish there was another way, too.  I was the only person to hear your reasons after all.  I researched it as much as I could, and there are definitely no other options.  I'm sorry."

            Harry just looked at her in consternation.  All of his work to distance himself from the English wizarding community was for naught if Ginny was to be believed, and seeing as she had kept his secret for three years, he trusted her with his life.  His features hardened as he made his decision.

"Alright then, we leave in a couple days.  Just let me get my things ready to leave and say goodbye to everyone."

"You aren't leaving without us," Claude interrupted.  "You and Sifu were there for me when I had no one else, and I won't let you try to leave on your own.  Isn't that right, Sifu?"

Sifu nodded grimly.  "Of course it is.  We're family, nothing can change that.  Family sticks together."

            Harry smiled weakly before standing up.

"Ginny, I'll show you a place to stay until we leave.  Sifu, we had probably better tell Lobsang and the others before we leave."

            They quickly stood and left the training area, heading off to prepare for war.  It was several hours later when Sifu and Harry met the leaders of the impromptu army to inform them of their intentions.  Lobsang, the leader chosen for his experience fighting dark wizards over the years, was troubled.

"You cannot leave, especially you Sifu!  You know I respect you, you have taught me many things.  However, you are not magic; you are not capable of defending yourself indefinitely no matter your talents in seeing magic.  I must insist that if you leave I accompany you for your protection.  My honor will accept no less."

            With his words, the other captains quickly stood to show their intentions as well.  Sifu was shocked.  Yes, he had spent the past three years or so training these men and their followers to fight with their bodies as well as with magic, but this response was unnerving.  He was not used to people following him like this, it just was not right.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked.  "There may be no coming back.  We all may die in the process of stopping Voldemort, you realize that.  Are you willing to make that sacrifice?"

            As one they answered, "Yes."  With this declaration they left to talk to their units, and within the hour Harry and Sifu were leading a small army.  Four hundred strong they rallied, telling their families goodbye, gathering weapons both physical and magical, meditating to ready their minds for war.  Two days later they were ready, gathering in a field outside of Lhasa for the journey.  Lobsang had acquired several dozen flying carts fitted with invisibility charms for the journey, and once the supplies were loaded and the troops on board, they lifted off.  England, Voldemort, and a war were waiting.

A/N:  Well, this is the longest chapter of all of them, so hopefully it isn't too boring.  As usual, props to my betas Ters and Kraeg001, and thanks to Afroman for his suggestions on the last couple chapters.  Thanks for all the reviews, they mean a lot.  Peace.


	20. Chapter 19 The Journey

**Chapter 19**

**The Journey**

The journey goes on

Its end never to be found

But worth all the pain

            Ginny looked at the scene before her in astonishment.  She had known that Harry had met other witches and wizards in the period after he left England, but this was unbelievable.  It was an army, and one that was at least half the size of the forces of Light back in England.  Being such an exclusive community due to the rarity of magical talent, it was unusual for a battle to consist of more than one or two hundred soldiers on each side.  Of course with the range and tenacity of a magical attack, these battlefields were still quite large.  The size of the army was not the only strange thing, though.  What made it stranger was the fact that Harry was a part of it, and apparently a well-respected person.  It was not just his being in the army that confused Ginny.  She knew him well enough that he could not live life without trying to save someone.  What was so odd was the way people took his advice without question.  Harry and his muggle friend were moving through the hustle with someone who was apparently the general, giving out orders and telling people which weapons and supplies to take or leave behind.  Of course, if it was odd that Harry was respected, what was a muggle doing in all of this?  Ginny knew from Harry's letters that Sifu had taken him in and eventually introduced him to his new home, but why would these witches and wizards treat him with the same easy deference that Harry did?  It was just another strange thing about this entire situation.  She had known Harry would come back with her; he was the tragic hero type, after all, despite how much he tried to escape it.  However, this was just something she could not get over.  What would her family and the Order leaders say when she got back?  What would she say to explain the sudden appearance of this massive group of reinforcements?  It was enough of a shock that the four hundred person strong army had decided to come, but many of the non-military members of the community were coming as cooks, doctors, and other support personnel as well, and it was all the result of this Sifu deciding not to let Harry return alone.  It was amazing that even here Harry Potter was Harry Potter, despite who he tried to be.  

            She had heard from Dumbledore the story of Snape's first contact with Harry when he had wanted company in the hospital wing, so she had actually been expecting him to be blonde or under some other surprise.  Of course in a country as foreign as this, his natural black hair was probably a better disguise, but even his scar showed now.  From his relationship with the people around him, she knew they either did not know about its significance or did not care; it did not take knowledge of the language to understand that.  Breathing in relief at the completion of the army's preparations, Ginny stood as the troops and supporters clambered into the carts.  Finding a spot in the same cart as Harry and his friends, she settled in for a long ride.

            Contrary to her expectations, the ride was anything but boring.  Almost as soon as they were underway Harry gave her a parchment that translated her words into Tibetan and words spoken to her into English.  Lobsang, as she found the general was called, questioned her intensely on the disposition of the forces in England for both sides, making liberal use of maps and charts.  Thankfully the cart was charmed to keep out the wind, so it was at least a comfortable ride.  A few others asked questions as well, but for the most part they were content to listen to the quasi-briefing with their own variations of Ginny's parchment.  She found that apart from Lobsang most of the questions came from Sifu, and when he spoke everyone else grew silent as if their lives depended on his words.  Finally, she could not take the suspense any more.  Turning to Harry she addressed him.

"So why is your friend Sifu coming?  Isn't he just a muggle?"

            Harry's face darkened; as did the expressions of the rest of the cart's occupants once they read the translation.  Claude spoke up hotly.

"Sifu is better than any ten wizards you English have, except maybe Harry, he's only worth two of him.  Harry, how can you let a bigot like this be your friend?"

Harry spoke up hastily.  "She didn't mean anything by it.  She just doesn't know any better."

A translation slid across the parchment.  "That matters not.  She insults those she has never met.  What type of things do your people teach, Harry, that leads their children to have such a lack of respect?"

"I apologize for her, Lobsang.  Wizards in England are very prejudiced, I know, but there are many well-meaning witches and wizards who should not suffer for their culture's mistakes.  Whatever you think, I must fulfill my duty," Harry returned.

"Of course you must do your duty," Lobsang replied, "but do not forget that their lack of respect of other people is but the first step in renewing this war for the next generation.  Your Voldemort is the result of learning such as this, and to prevent another such leader to rise you must start with the children.  Remember that in the time of your victory."

            Harry inclined his head to the venerable leader as Ginny looked on in shock.  What was wrong with what she had said?  Did they really look on Sifu, who although a nice man was still a muggle, as an equal?  Even her father with his love of muggles looked on them as foolish little children and he was one of the greatest men she had ever known.  What did this muggle know that made him so important, and what was the deal with the others thinking she lacked respect?  How was she to know that Sifu deserved it if no one told her?  Leaning over to an obviously still angered Harry, she whispered in his ear.

"I'm sorry I insulted Sifu, but why didn't you tell me they liked him?"

            Harry just looked at her in what she could only describe as shock.  He sat still for a few moments before excusing himself from the others to erect a privacy ward around the two of them for a reply.

"So you can insult anyone if they have not proven themselves to you?" he asked angrily.

"Of course not!  I would never insult another wizard or witch, but he's just a muggle, how was I supposed to know he was important to everyone as more than someone to talk to?"

"Just a muggle, you say?  Since when does that matter?  Sure, we have special powers they lack, but I've met muggles who could put any wizard to shame, not that that should matter.  A person is a person, whether a wizard or not, and should be respected as such.  I'm not fighting Voldemort just because he is evil; I am fighting him for all the people he has killed that had no voice just because they were muggles.  I remember the World Cup and how the muggles were terrorized.  It didn't mean as much to me then, and I am ashamed of that, but for that behavior to be condoned by any society shows that it is in its death throes.  Don't you understand that when you treat other people or sentient beings as less than you, you are just paving the way for a society to be destroyed by its own lack of humanity?  Why do you think we had Goblin Wars or Giant Rebellions?  What do you think happened to great empires like Rome?  They grew cruel and fell from the inside.  A more tolerant society may have left Tom Riddle other options to use his power in constructive ways.  If I had stayed in England I could have become the next dark lord if I didn't die first, and it would have been easy because lots of people would follow me."  "Do you really mean all of that, Harry?  You think that stuff about muggles and giants and goblins' being equal is true?"

"Of course I do.  When have I ever lied to you?  Well, about anything other than where I was going, but that is beside the point.  Will you give muggles a chance and apologize to Sifu?  It is the only way everyone here will talk to you again with any amount of respect for you."

"I'll apologize, Harry, but I'll have to think about the whole muggles being equal part, that just doesn't make sense right now."

            Harry looked like he wanted to debate the point further, but brought down the wards instead for Ginny's apology.

"Sifu, I apologize for my rudeness.  I was not thinking.  Can you forgive me?"

"Of course I will forgive you, child," he replied, "but you need to learn to keep your eyes open.  After all, one of us so-called weaker humans could save your life some day."

            Sifu was disturbed as he sat back in his seat.  To see such prejudice in one so young was sad, to say the least.  It spoke a lot about the state of the society he was about to be introduced to.  Harry had explained many of the prejudices of the wizards he had gone to school with, and how the war was based on many of those same prejudices, but to see it first hand brought it to the forefront.  Of course Sifu understood their fear of what the non-magical people would do when faced with magic; not everyone was as open-minded as he, and Harry's relatives were probably more typical than he wished to believe.  However, even thought they had to hide their magic, it was astonishing to think that a wizard would refuse to use some of the technological innovations merely because they were muggle.  The only good result of that was the absence of guns in this war they were heading towards.  

            It was several hours of an uneasy and mostly unbroken silence later that the carts finally crossed the North Sea and began the relatively short journey over Northern England and Scotland to Hogwarts.  Soon the great expanse of the Forbidden Forest came into sight beneath them, causing the wizards and witches who had never seen it before to look out in awe at the obviously magical area.  Sifu was especially excited as he could see the faint ripples emanating from the various magical creatures below.  The view of Hogwarts coming over the horizon drew gasps and murmurs of astonishment, and within a few minutes the carts were landing a couple hundred yards outside the gates.  Immediately Ginny and Harry moved towards the castle to forestall any misunderstandings on who was landing outside.  To Harry's surprise, he was met, not by Hagrid as he expected, but by none other than Severus Snape.  Smiling at his former nemesis, Harry extended his hand in greeting.

"Professor Snape, it's a pleasure to see you again under better circumstances."

"Potter," Snape sneered, refusing the hand.  "Weasley, too, I see.  What made you come back?  Did you think you were needed to save the day again and gain even more fame for coming back from the dead?"

"I'm sorry you think that Professor, and before this gets any worse, I am sorry for everything I did to you over the years.  I owe you a debt of gratitude for looking out for me while I was in school despite your dislike of my family."

            Snape looked at him in shock.  A Potter was apologizing to a Snape?

"I accept your apology, but this changes nothing.  Now, why are you here and who are all of these people you have brought with you?  Are they more fans?"

"Anything but, sir.  These are all trained warriors, and they have been training non-stop for almost three years now.  They have come to help, nothing more.  I would advise you and whoever is in charge to work with them because they are not leaving until either I kill Voldemort or he dies for killing me."

            Sighing in disgust, Severus agreed.  He would do anything to get out of having to treat a Potter like a normal person.  Turning around, he led Harry and Ginny inside.  Once there Harry looked around in awe.  It was still Hogwarts, but there was a more martial feel to it.  Many of the unnecessary decoration had been removed and only bare stone remained in most places.  Entering the Great Hall was like walking into a different world.  Even though it was the middle of July now, the Hall was full of diners of all ages.  The majority of those around military age were gathered around tables to one side of the Hall dressed in war cloaks.  Everyone else filled the remainder of the Hall to overflowing.  They were ignored as they moved through the Hall, the constant commotion and Harry having cast a glamour spell over his scar keeping unwanted observers away.  Cautiously, Harry approached the High Table, where an obviously thinner and older Albus Dumbledore was deep in discussion with several others.  Reaching the end of the table, they were finally noticed by the occupants.  A distraught Arthur Weasley jumped up and ran to his daughter.  

"Where have you been?  How could you leave without telling us, especially at a time like this?  Do you know how worried your mother is?"

            Ginny just cowered in front of her father as attention shifted towards the small group.  A gasp came from the Headmaster as he realized just who was with Ginny and the Potions Master.  

"Harry?  Is that you?"

"Yes, Headmaster, I've come back."

            Silence filled the table as people figured out just who 'Harry' was.  Of course he was different now without his scar and he was definitely not the scrawny child he had been before due to the muscles he had gained from four years of almost non-stop physical training, but he still looked like a Potter.  Whispers quickly filtered through the Hall and conversations ground to a halt.  Arthur Weasley just looked at the boy who had been like a son in astonishment.  Finally he spoke.

"B-b-b-but you're dead!  Aren't you?  I was at your funeral for Merlin's sake!"

"I know, Mr. Weasley, and I am sorry you had to go through that.  I assure you, though, that I really am alive – never died, actually."

            Arthur just grabbed the table behind him and shakily eased himself into a chair.  Grimacing at the attention he was receiving, Harry turned to Dumbledore once more.  

"Headmaster, perhaps we could continue this outside?  I have some people you need to meet."

            Dumbledore merely got up and followed Harry and Ginny out of the hall, leaving a stunned crowd in their wake.  The Boy Who Lived had returned.

A/N:  Well, a very quick post for me, but don't get used to it.  I've been writing a lot because I needed to keep my creativity up for a huge Biochem paper.  As usual, thanks to Ters and Kraeg001 for the beta work.  Peace all.


	21. Chapter 20 Reunions

A/N:  Thanks to Ters and Kraeg001 for comments and concerns as usual.  Just a few responses to get out of the way:

**Narcissa** – I'm really sorry you don't like the fic anymore.  Not much I can do about that really, though, to be honest.  The way it has gone was really planned, believe it or not, only the smaller aspects have changed.  If the characters are OOC now, I'd have to say that a lot is the natural growth process – you wouldn't expect Harry in this fic to act like Harry in OOTP because their experiences are completely different.  Also, I don't think OOC characters are bad as long as they remain believable, something I think I have at least attempted to do.  After all that, though, it is nice to hear some criticism once in a while as it makes me sit back and take a hard look at the story.  Hopefully this chapter will settle some of your concerns, but if not, I hope you find another fic out there that you like.  Peace, and thanks for reviewing.

**Illucia **– As for the discrimination, and I hope this isn't just me justifying myself too much, I don't think any discrimination can be excused, no matter the history.  I think that the reaction by the wizards, Lobsang in particular, are over the respect issue, something I think anyone should know.  Just my take on it – I've always found your reviews particularly illuminating (rather ironic given your nickname lol).

**Rogue1615** – No guns I'm afraid.  As the magical battle lends itself to a more close quartered confrontation with lines confused, guns would be a tad too dangerous.  That, and it's much more fun to write hand to hand J.

**Chapter 20**

**Reunions**

            Harry led the way out of the Great Hall as quickly as possible.  He had been stared at and talked about before, but it had been nothing like this.  For the most part it seemed to be speculation on who he was – he had been declared dead after all, and his scar was still under the glamour, so even most of those who heard Dumbledore call him 'Harry' were only connecting him to the Potter family.  Finally they made it through the gates of the castle to enter the confusion beyond.  

            Dumbledore and Snape stopped in shock at the scene before them.  Carts were being unloaded and tents set up as Lobsang and Sifu moved through the camp giving orders on where things should go.  Seeing the small group approaching, they left their work and moved over to meet them.

"What is this, Harry?" the Headmaster asked as his tongue finally became untied.  "Who are all these people?"

"They're with me, Professor.  They have come to get rid of Voldemort once and for all.  I'd like you to meet Lobsang and Sifu; they're as close as we have to commanders."

            Rather than moving to shake Dumbledore's hand, the two men inclined their heads in an abbreviated bow.  

"I am Lobsang, and this is Sifu.  Anything we can do to help, we are willing.  You will find our troops well-trained and ready for any type of attack."

"And why should I trust you?  The only proof of your intentions is that you came with Harry.  How do I know you will not betray us at the first opportunity?"

"You have no way of knowing our true intentions, I agree.  However, your former student obviously trusts us, and you are not dead or captured as you would be if we were your enemies.  Your strength is obvious, and therefore your worth to your enemies as well.  Do not delude yourself into thinking we serve you, though.  We are here to destroy the evil that haunts our young friend's life, nothing more.  What happens beyond that point is your concern, not ours.  You also have no power over Harry, as he is no longer your student but a member of our army, and therefore under my commands.  Do not attempt to control him or bypass my authority with regards to him.  All concerns or contacts will be addressed to myself, Sifu, or someone we have appointed to be our representative.  We will, of course, relinquish control on the battlefield to the commander of the field.  That is the only wise choice after all. This is our offer; there will be no compromise.  If you refuse, we will move our camp and carry on the war ourselves.  As I said before, we are not here for you or your people, although of course we will be happy to see them safe once more.  Will you agree to our terms?"

            Dumbledore sat there stunned for a moment.  While in his head he knew that these wizards were probably on the same side, their arrogance was astonishing.  Who were they to tell him whether or not he could contact Harry?  Was he not the boy's Headmaster?  Since he had never graduated, Harry was still a student and under his authority.  Perhaps that card could be used later, though.  Now was not the time to make demands.  It was better to wait until they were committed to the battle before slowly removing their authority and placing it under his own.  A single command was the more practical route after all.  Finally stating the response he had known he would give all along, Dumbledore replied:

"Your terms are acceptable.  Please follow me and we will meet with my commanders to discuss tactics.  We will need to verify your army's battle-readiness, but that can be determined after our meeting."

            Noting Sifu and Lobsang's nods of acquiescence, Dumbledore turned to head inside with them behind him, only stopping for one last remark.

"Harry, you will find Remus and Sirius down the hall that formerly housed Fluffy.  I am sure they will be delighted to see you."

            Meanwhile, inside the castle Arthur Weasley had finally overcome his shock and burst out of the room, the curious eyes of the diners following him.  Tearing through the halls leading to the former Gryffindor Common Room, he tried to reason with himself over what had just happened.  A little over four years before he had joined the rest of the wizarding world in its mourning over Harry Potter's death.  With him had died much of the hope they had against the growing evidence of Voldemort's rebirth and return.  Of course, to the Weasleys, Harry was much more than The Boy Who Lived.  He was a friend to the children and like a son to Arthur and Molly.  It had been one of the most tragic events Arthur could remember, watching his family fall apart before his eyes in response to Harry's death.  Now that he looked back on it, though, Ginny had not been as distraught as the rest and had never participated in reminiscing about the boy they had come to know and love.  That made sense in light of her recent disappearance and Harry's subsequent return, but it forced Arthur to admit that his only daughter had kept a secret from him for four years.  What else was she hiding?  Had her notoriously boyfriend-free life been anything but?  How was he to trust her now?  With a start, Arthur remembered the matter at hand; Ginny could come later.  For now, he had to decide how to tell his family that Harry Potter was back, alive and seemingly more powerful than ever.

            To say that they took the news well would be a massive lie.  On the contrary, for the first twenty minutes after his announcement Arthur had to listen to accusations on everything from his lack of intelligence to his apparent position as a spy for Voldemort.  He took the tirades in stride; after all he would have done the same had he not seen it with his own eyes.  Finally, though, he had had enough.

"Listen, all of you.  I don't know what happened, but Harry is here at the castle right now.  He came in with Ginny and Professor Snape; spoke briefly to Headmaster Dumbledore, who confirmed his identity; and then left to show the headmaster something outside.  I can't tell you anything else; we'll just have to wait until we hear the news."

            Almost before he had finished talking there was a rush on the door as people ran to find their friend and hero.  Arthur almost felt sorry for Harry for a moment, but it was his own fault for leaving, so he shrugged and followed the crowd.  

            Harry was taking the long way around to see Sirius and Remus, using the extra time to gather his thoughts for the inevitable argument.  Unfortunately his roundabout route took him past the Gryffindor common room just in time to be flattened by a veritable flood of Weasleys.  The quickly expanding pile of bodies burst apart with a flash as Harry reacted to the perceived attack.  Of course this made things even worse when Harry realized just who he was attacking and his immediate cessation allowed the now even angrier group to get to its feet.  Muttering curses at the world in general, the nearest Weasley turned to the current object of his ire.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, you sod!  Can't you see that...  that...  Harry?"

"Ummm...  Ron?  Hi, uh, how are you?" Harry stuttered as he realized just how much trouble he was in. The entire Weasley clan was gathered in front of him, and Hermione as well, and they did not look very happy.  In fact, they looked to be downright irate.  The first hint he had on just how angry they were was Ron's fist flying at his face.  Only a quick sweeping block kept him from a broken nose, and Ron's face as he finally balanced himself held the promise of more to come.  

"How could you do that to us?!  We loved you like one of the family and in return you do this?  You leave for four years as a corpse and then come back like everything is normal?  You'd better start running now, or you really will be a corpse this time!"

            Harry looked at the group in front of him nervously.  This was definitely not the meeting he had been hoping for.  He had known it would include yelling and recriminations, of course, but he had at least been hoping for a somewhat neutral territory for the meeting, not a random run-in in the hall.  Of course, if yelling was going to be involved, and it looked like more was on the way, he had to yell himself to get a word in.  Giving up on all hopes of a rational reunion, Harry began to yell.

"You want to know why I did it?  You want to know why I thought the only people who had ever treated me like a human had to think I was dead?  I wanted you to be safe!  Everyone I was near was dying or getting so close that only luck was keeping them alive!  Ginny could have died in Second year just for being my best friend's brother!  Ron, you sacrificed yourself in First year just to let me figure out a puzzle!  In Third year you went after a known murderer!  In Fourth year Cedric died just for being next to me!  You want to know why I left?  I left to keep you alive, and it worked didn't it?  Aren't you standing in front of me alive?  Isn't your family here, too?  What did you expect me to do?  Sit back and let everyone die?  I saved your life, and if you can't handle that, that's your own problem!"

            For once the Weasley clan was silent.  The Harry they knew never yelled like that, but at the same time this was definitely Harry.  The lack of a scar had not changed him that much physically, but it was obvious that this was a hardened version of the boy they had known.  He radiated power and confidence, something he had lacked before.  Finally, Hermione broke the silence with a sob.

"Oh, Harry, why couldn't you have just told us?" she cried, running forward and grabbing his shirt with her fists.  "You don't think we knew that being your friend was dangerous?  We started every day knowing that, but we still wanted to be our friend because you were still Harry.  You great idiot, you're back now, everything will be fine."

            As if that was their queue, the rest of group gathered around him, greeting him one by one with brilliant smiles, or like Molly Weasley, who sobbed her eyes out.  Harry just took it all in; feeling for the first time that day that all was right with the world.  Here were people who loved him no matter what and would continue to do so despite his mistakes.  Finally he had to pull away, though – he had a godfather and an honorary uncle he needed to see.  

            The door leading to the third floor corridor looked the same, and Harry felt the same trepidation opening it now as he had when he and his friends had first discovered it.  Inside was much different now, of course.  It was decorated now, with paintings lining the walls watching him as he passed.  Much more of it was open as well, what with the lack of a three-headed dog guarding it.  The door to Sirius and Remus' rooms was obvious as it was covered by a painting of a dog, wolf, and stag.  Unsurprisingly, a quickly muttered 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good' opened the painting without difficulty, and Harry swiftly entered into the suite beyond.  As with most parts of the castle and the wizarding world in general, it was much larger on the inside than one might expect.  A spacious living room with couches and bookshelves opened up on a kitchen and a hallway extended back to what Harry could only assume were the bedrooms.  Just a moment after he entered, movement was heard from the bedrooms as someone came out to check on the disturbance.  Sirius ambled into the living room, only to stop in shock at the sight of his godson before him.  Unlike most of his counterparts, he knew that Harry was alive, but as his last attempt at contact had been a miserable failure, he had quickly lost all hope that Harry would return.  With a muffled sob he launched himself at Harry, gathering him into a bone crushing hug.  A moment later Remus did the same as he followed the noises from wherever he had been.  Wrapped tightly with no hope of escape, Harry tried desperately to say something before he suffocated from the combined force of their hugs.  

"Sirius!  Remus!  Can't… Breathe!" he gasped.  Finally letting go, the two older men just stood there, beatific smiles on their faces at the sight of their little lost boy returned.  Remus broke the silence.

"You came back!  I thought you were gone forever!  Why did you do that to us?"

"Now's not the time for that, Remus," Sirius interrupted.  "He came back and that is all that matters.  You'll stay this time, though, won't you Harry?"

Harry's face dropped.  "I don't know.  I came back because I found out I was needed.  I have a home now, and people who love me for who I am, not for being the Boy Who Lived.  Once Voldemort is gone, I don't know what I'll do, but I doubt I'll stay.  Of course, then Dumbledore won't be after me, so you two will be free to visit."

"Don't say that, Harry," Remus replied.  "You know we always had your best interests at heart, and so did the Headmaster.  We've always wanted you to have a good life, but you're the only person who can defeat You Know Who.  There was no choice.  You know that, don't you?"

"No, I don't, to be honest.  I'm not a pawn, and I refuse to become one.  That is why I don't want to stay.  If I win, I would just be set apart even more.  There will never be a place here that I can just be myself, and that is all I have ever wanted.  Of course, there will be a lot of things to worry about before then, so let's just forget about it for now, all right?"

            Sirius and Remus nodded in acquiescence, and the three of them settled into one of the couches to catch up with what had happened over the past few years.  They all knew that this momentary peace could not last, but for now it was all they had, and they would enjoy it.


	22. Chapter 21 Tao of Battle

**Chapter 21**

**Tao of ****Battle**

One who takes position first at the battleground 

and awaits the enemy is at ease.

One who takes position later at the battleground 

and hastens to do battle is at labor.

Thus one skilled at battle summons other and is

not summoned by them.

How can one make the enemy arrive of their own

accord – offer them advantage.

How can one prevent the enemy from arriving – 

harm them.

Thus how one can make the enemy labor when at

ease and starve when full – emerge where

they must hasten.

Sun Tzu

The Art of War

Harry sat in the room with Remus and Sirius content. It had been too long, he decided. The last time he had sat down with people from his childhood had been over four years ago, and it was definitely a good feeling. The last time the three of them had seen each other had been in Tibet when Remus and Sirius were trying to take him back to Dumbledore, so that was obviously an uncomfortable recollection, but by unspoken agreement the incident had not been brought up. Instead they settled into conversation about neutral topics; there would be time for recriminations later.

In another part of the castle Ginny was facing an angry brother and sister-in-law. Of course she should have known that Hermione would be quick to figure it all out when her unexplained trip terminated in time with Harry's unexpected return, but noting could ever prepare her for one of Ron's famous tantrums. Not that it was unwarranted, just very uncomfortable.

"How could you?!" he screamed. "I'm your brother; Harry was my best friend! How could you keep something like that from me? Did you honestly think we enjoyed thinking that Harry was dead? It was the worst day of my life when Dad told us! I died every day till now not knowing if we could have done something to save him, and now I find out you knew the truth the entire time! You're lucky that you are family or you would be a bloody mess on the ground, let me tell you!"

Ginny just took the tirade in silence. For one thing it was well nigh impossible to stop her brother when he went off like this, and for another she did deserve it. It was not as if she did not see how hard it had been for everyone when Harry's 'murder' was announced. On the contrary, as an outside observer she had been able to watch her family and Harry's few other close friends shrink to mere parodies of their former selves until the growing war forced them to focus their efforts and time elsewhere. In that sense the war had been a good thing as it moved their attention elsewhere, but the pain remained. 

Meanwhile, Ron was finally running out of breath. Not even Hermione was going to stop this tirade. It was obvious she agreed with every word that Ron had said, meaning she had some choice comments of her own for when he was done. And then there was her mother…

"Don't you understand how much pain you two caused us?" That would be Hermione taking over for Ron, of course. Only she could be so biting without raising her voice. "We lost our best friend, didn't that matter to you? Did you think we didn't deserve to know? That we maybe didn't care like you did? Was this just a way to fulfill your adolescent crush because you were the only person to have access to him?"

Now that was a bit too much, so Ginny felt it was finally time to say something. It was time to fight fire with fire the Weasley way.

"You think I was just jealous? That I kept Harry being alive a secret out of spite? Weren't you there for the four years he watched people get hurt and die around him? Quirrell, Sirius, Remus, both of you, me in second year, Cedric and everyone he knew, not to mention his relatives right before he left – we all were hurt, and whether it was his fault or not, he still blamed himself for everything. That's the way he is. He told me to keep it secret because he thought it would keep you safe. It hurt him just as much as it hurt you, because he knew what you would go through. I'm not trying to justify what he did; I think he took the coward's way out and I told him so, but I had to respect his decision. Anyways, I'm the one who brought him back, so you should be thanking me."

With that she turned and flounced off. On the outside she looked angry, but inside she was secretly relieved. It was not every day that one could claim to have gotten the last word in an argument with either Ron or Hermione, but _she_ had, and that was something to be proud of despite the well-deserved dressing down they had just given her.

When Harry finally came down for dinner, he faced a packed Great Hall abuzz with the rumors of what had happened that day. Squads apparating back in from raids and patrols had been forced to pass through the new camp outside the gates, and it had caused some violent confusion until Dumbledore had finally ordered some of his own men to take positions around the camp to explain matters to the incoming troops. The news about the Harry Potter look-alike in the upper areas of the castle inspired even more chatter, especially when the entire command staff disappeared with some of the strange guests. Needless to say, the entrance of Sirius and Remus with an unidentified young man ensconced between them caused quite a stir. Rumblings throughout the Hall met their arrival as its occupants questioned who it could be. Despite his renown few people actually knew The Boy Who Lived to any extent, and even more would not recognize him without the famous scar, something this man lacked. Those who had known the Potters, though, could not help but recognize the obvious family resemblance, and as they noticed it, whispers and gasps flew across the room. With the entire family having died or disappeared into the mists of time, there was only one conclusion that could be drawn. Harry Potter had defied death once more. 

What was commonly known at Hogwarts was quickly known by Voldemort and his followers. Of course, Voldemort had felt a peculiar twinge for most of the day, but this confirmed his suspicions and fears. The last Potter had returned, and this was going to end in one of their deaths; there was no other option. Turning in his quasi-throne he addressed his Death Eaters.

"Potter has returned to Hogwarts. He needs to die. Tonight."

Seeing the looks and comments he was receiving, it was an easy decision to move out of the Great Hall to eat with his comrades rather than face the awed and, in some cases, furious faces of the rest of the occupants. It was a relief to settle back in with his squad mates, although the fast flowing Tibetan conversations left Sirius and Remus completely uncomfortable. The evening passed quickly, and before he knew it Harry was getting ready for bed in the tent he shared with Claude, Sifu, and his squad mates. Sifu and Lobsang had returned not long before, but they had immediately closeted themselves with the other commanders for discussions to which Harry was not privy. To be honest, it was an odd feeling to be left out like that and have no desire to know what was going on, but these last few years had helped him accept the fact that is was better for him not to know everything at times. His musings were interrupted as he dropped off to sleep.

The sentries surrounding the area were on edge. They had trained exhaustively for this type of situation, but now they were actually in a war zone, and the mere feel of it was completely different. It was raw, untamed, and for the first time for many of them, they were frightened. Wards had been established surrounding the encampment of course, but anyone patient and calm enough could easily make his way through them. It was almost a relief then, when one of the sentries on duty noticed that the grassy ground in front of him was rustling without wind. A closer look revealed footsteps without a body. He would have laughed at the ignorance of this intruder if it had not occurred to him that the wards had given no alarm. Quickly he muttered the alarm incantation and moved to confront the infiltrator as loud wails woke the camp. Suddenly it was chaos. The assassin in front of him abandoned his invisibility cloak in order to have better freedom of movement for combat, just in time for the sentry to approach him from behind and knock him unconscious with a well placed blow with his staff. 

When the alarm rang, Harry's tent sprang into action. Weapons, of course, were kept by the bed for quick access. Robes were thrown on as the squad made their exit with the composure with which they had been trained. As they exited, they saw the rest of the troops doing the same, moving out in a fan like fashion to cover the camp in an impenetrable web. All over collisions were occurring as invisibility cloaked assassins had nowhere to run from the sudden outpouring. Their utter dependence on magic was also apparent in the close quarters of the tents. Harry came up close and personal with one of them as he rolled from the tent right into an invisible assailant. He stumbled back in shock as the still partially cloaked Death Eater swung his wand up with a snarl. Reacting on instinct Harry dropped to the ground as the dreaded curse came from his opponent's mouth. 

"Aveda Kedavra!"

The green light burrowed itself into the ground and fizzled out on contact with the life-giving earth. As Harry picked himself up to move onto the offensive, the rest of the squad followed him out of the tent. Having heard the curse they knew an attacker was outside, so they came ready for battle. Claude saw the Death Eater just as Harry started to pick himself up. Stretching out his hand he yelled, "Expelliarmus!" The Death Eater's wand flew into Claude's hand with a definitive 'snap' as his face paled in recognition of the power he faced. Before he could even run Harry rose behind him, snapping off two kicks in quick succession to the back of his knees to send him to the ground in agony. Jangmu, the squad leader, was at the man's side in an instant, a wicked looking bladed appearing from one of her many pockets to press against his throat. Magically conjured ropes held him in place as the squad moved into its pre-assigned positions, leaving two men behind to guard the prisoner. 

Orders rang through the compound as assigned squads moved methodically through the camp to ensure not a single enemy remained. When they were finished the guard was doubled and the wards replaced. The rest of the troops retired to their tents to care for the wounded. The battle had been swift, twenty of the infiltrators having been captured and five killed, but there were casualties among the Tibetans as well. The Death Eaters seemed to favor cutting curses and the killing curse – anything to cause the maximum amount of pain. As a result two of the Tibetans had died and twelve wounded, three with what were probably mortal injuries due to the nature of the magic used on them. If anything this merely fueled the fire of the troops' resolve. They were ready now to exact vengeance on their opponents.

With dawn came the last ragged breath of the three mortally wounded men. They had been hit with a time delayed curse at about the same time, and all the healers could do was watch helplessly as their charges faded into the Beyond. The bodies were gathered and their squads moved off into the Forbidden Forest to complete the funeral rites. They had died well; they would be remembered. 

A/N: Props to my betas Ters and Kraeg001.

Andrea: I am not a practitioner of aikido, more a student of its philosophies. I am currently studying Tai Chi with the hopes of studying aikido, but that depends on how my bum knee holds up to the strain. I originally spelled O-sensei's name Moerihei because that was how I saw it written, but after your review I went and looked, and sure enough Morihei is the predominant translation, so I will go back and fix that when I get a chance. Thanks.

And for the rest of you who either agreed with my take on Dumbledore or now hate my guts for it, it is a plot device, nothing more. I think we can all agree he is not up to Gandalf standards as far as goodness, so his actual reasons for being what he is are open to debate. Besides, the point of fan fiction is to play. I'm playing. Peace.


	23. Chapter 22 Interim

Chapter 22  
Interim  
  
Hogwarts:  
  
The breakfast in the Great Hall was interrupted by Lobsang and Sifu with a dozen heavily guarded prisoners trailing behind them. Without glancing at the curious faces surrounding them, Sifu approached Dumbledore's table.  
  
"I am assuming you have dungeons in this castle?"  
  
A slightly stunned Headmaster nodded in response.  
  
"Yes, yes we do. Why are these people in chains?"  
  
"They are in chains because they are some of your 'Death Eaters'. We captured them last night in an abortive attack on our encampment. Sixteen more are dead and an unknown number escaped. We took everything off of them and incinerated the bodies after recording their identities. Now where can we bring these prisoners for interrogation?"  
  
"Professor Snape! Show these men to the dungeons, will you? Make sure you make doubles of the keys when you put the prisoners in the cells."  
  
Snape nodded to the Headmaster and stood, motioning for the others to follow him. Without another word the eclectic group left the hall, leaving yet another speechless crowd behind them. Dumbledore turned to Arthur Weasley with an amused smile on his face.  
  
"They certainly do know how to make an entrance, don't they? While I may not find them the most agreeable sort, they do seem to be most enthused about engaging in this war of ours. Perhaps things will work out after all."  
  
Location Unknown:  
  
The ten battered survivors of the Death Eater assault team cowered before their master in the dank lair.  
  
"You failed me. The boy lives," the Dark Lord hissed as his eyes swept the group huddled on the stone floor in front of him. "Will you plead for mercy or shall I kill you now?"  
  
"Please, Master, spare us!" cried one as he looked up at the throne. "We have information for you!"  
  
"Yes? Be quick about it then!"  
  
"The new wizards, they aren't from England, they weren't even from the mainland. They were Asian! Somehow Dumbledore received reinforcements from one of the other Ministries!"  
  
"I knew that, you fool. Is that all you have?"  
  
"N-no. They did not all rely on wands, Master. Some carried wands, to be sure, but others carried staffs and some were wandless mages. Also, they did not just use magic. I saw one of our brother's necks snapped by the enemy's hands, not a spell. When I moved to make my own attack, my wand was struck away and my arm broken. See?"  
  
The wizard held out the obviously broken arm for his Master's inspection without any pain on his face. This was one of the veteran's from the first reign of terror. He knew that he could get the arm taken care of if he was still alive later, but until then it was best not to scream. After all, he had watched others have their lives snuffed out for merely whimpering. Finishing his inspection, Voldemort moved back across the floor to his throne and the surrounding bodyguards.  
  
"Very well. It seems that these new wizards are a formidable sort. However, our plans for the weekend remain in place; just prepare for a larger opposing force. Go."  
  
The Death Eaters left his sight as quickly as decorum allowed. It was not often that they escaped an audience without the excruciating pain of a Cruciatus Curse, and this was one opportunity they would not miss.  
  
Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts:  
  
Ginny rolled out of bed with a groan, recoiling as her feet hit the cold stone floor. She was confused for a moment before remembering that she was once again at her home away from home and not in Tibet any more. Harry. Where was he now? Ever since she had had the run in with Ron and Hermione she had not looked for him – no reason to give her family a chance to catch them together before they became used to having him back. Quickly she dressed and headed to the bathroom before going down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Her family pointedly ignored her except for a couple of glares from the twins, so she sat off to one side with some of her former classmates. It was a lonely meal, but everyone had a lot on their minds, so she did not feel left out. When the disturbance at the door drew everyone's attention, her reaction was wonder as with the rest of the Hall, but then she felt fear. Where was Harry? In her, admittedly brief, time with the group before they left, Harry and Sifu had been almost always together, but now Sifu was there and Harry was not. Neither was Claude, and that was frightening too as they seemed to have formed some sort of strange familial connection. Abandoning her breakfast she moved quickly out the door as everyone else watched the prisoners.  
  
She found the ordered encampment from the day before in sorry shape. Wizards moved through the wrecked tents, avoiding blast holes as they restored them to their former condition. Pulling one aside she used signs and the constant repeating of Harry's name to get across that she was trying to find him. Finally the wizard understood and she hurried off in the direction he pointed out. Reaching the large tent Ginny entered. Inside was a sight she had never seen before. It was a hospital tent, and wounded lay in cots along the sides as they were treated by healers. Her heart was in her throat as fear filled her until she saw the object of her search standing over a cot in the back. Almost sobbing in relief she ran up to him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.  
  
"I thought you were dead!"  
  
Harry looked down at her, a puzzled expression on his face.  
  
"Why would you think that? I was just here to see Phuntsok. He's in my squad and got hurt in the fighting last night. Are you all right yourself?"  
  
"I saw the prisoners, and you weren't with Sifu, and one of the wizards said you were here, and..."  
  
"It's all right, Ginny," Harry soothed. "I'm not hurt and we made it out all right. A squad launched a sneak attack last night so we had a bit of situation, but it turned out all right. We lost five men, but the Death Eaters lost a lost more. It's war, and people will get hurt – worrying about me won't change anything. Okay?"  
  
"All right. But you're out here fighting, and once Ron finishes training he will be too, and the rest of my brothers are already out there. I just don't want to lose anyone, especially since I just got you back."  
  
Fiercely she rounded on the taller boy, pushing her forefinger into his chest.  
  
"You better not die on me, Harry Potter, you hear me? If you do, I-I-I'll kill you myself!"  
  
With a chuckle Harry wrapped an arm around her in a brotherly fashion as he pulled her out of the tent with a wave to Phuntsok.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind. Now let's go to the cafeteria. You've probably eaten already, but they're still cooking here and I'm starved."  
  
With that they moved off to breakfast. It was Ginny's second, but she was a Weasley after all; she would not turn down food.  
  
Back in the Castle:  
  
Meanwhile in the castle the prisoners had been secured and Dumbledore and his generals were in deep discussion with Lobsang, Sifu, and some of their lieutenants.  
  
"I tell you, to attack is suicidal! These are dangerous wizards with no compunction against using the most vile curses in any situation! I will not put my people in danger like that!" Sirius yelled. "Maybe you don't mind people dying, but we do! Any loss is unacceptable!"  
  
"With an attitude like that, it is no wonder that you are losing this war," Lobsang calmly replied. "War means death, and if you fail to understand that then you cannot fail to lose. We are just asking for intelligence on Death Eater positions and a team of scouts to work with our own reconnaissance teams. Surely you have that many people with the skills needed and the willingness to sacrifice their lives for the greater good. How can you expect us to die for people we don't know when you won't die for your own family? And they call you brave."  
  
A snort was heard from the back and Sirius turned angrily to a laughing Snape. "Well, if you are so brave, why don't you go with them?"  
  
"I think I will. This is a Slytherin mission after all, searching for weaknesses in the enemy. A Gryffindor would never understand."  
  
Quickly Snape stood and walked out with Lobsang and Sifu close behind, ignoring Sirius' helpless sputtering as they went. It did not take long for Snape to gather a group of wizards not afraid to go out and get dirty, and they joined the Tibetan scouts outside of the castle. It was a motley group. The Tibetans of course were not uniformly armed, and although the British wizards were, they were an eclectic group and their dress showed as much. Snape looked over the Tibetans with a critical eye. They were calm as they waited to move out, readying weapons and talking quietly amongst themselves. With a start Severus recognized one of the wizards. It was Harry. With his trademark sneer on his face Severus moved towards him.  
  
"Here for more glory, Potter?"  
  
Even as he spoke the words Snape found himself being lifted off of the ground and rotated through the air. Looking down he found himself at the tip of an oak staff, its owner watching him with hooded eyes.  
  
"I know you," came the simple statement.  
  
"You do?" Snape asked in surprise. The boy was not of Oriental decent, but he did not look like anyone Snape had met before, although there was something there that was familiar. Those eyes, that was it. Where had he seen them before?  
  
"Don't you remember chasing Harry in Marseille? Don't you remember attacking him in the middle of the street with your thugs? I was there. Not trained at the time of course, but I was in the background watching you. I was in the apartment too, and I saw you try to attack the first person through the door no matter who they were. We don't need your kind on a scout mission. Shooting first could get us killed, so you're going to stay with me so I can knock you out if you get nervous. Understood?"  
  
Now Severus was mad. This wizard was still a boy, and if there was something he knew how to do, Severus could intimidate children.  
  
"You will let me down, boy," he growled. "Maybe if you do your punishment will be light."  
  
"That may have worked in the Potions Laboratory, but that won't work here," Harry said from behind him. "We've all seen things a lot worse than anything you could do these past couple years, and it will take a lot more than that to intimidate my brother. Right, Claude?"  
  
The boy let slip a feral grin that chilled Severus to the core. He knew that look...  
  
"Right, Harry. I guess I'll let him down though; we can't have him get vertigo before we leave after all."  
  
Laughter came from the other scouts, Hogwarts residents included, as Severus touched the earth. With one last look at the pair he moved back to his squad with a grunt. If he knew anything, Severus knew when to back down. He had not been able to face Harry and his companions four years before, and it would probably be worse now. As a Slytherin that left him only one option, no matter how hard it was. Sometime soon he would have to apologize and somehow get Harry or someone as powerful to teach him how to fight like that. With Voldemort after him now on top of the 'light' wizards that still hated him he needed every bit of protection he could get.  
  
One of Lobsang's lieutenants, Rinchen, soon joined them, and with the traditional 'pop' that announced apparation, the scouts moved off into the countryside. 


	24. Chapter 23 Alliances

**Chapter 23**

**Alliances**

Northern England, exact location unknown:

            The scouts had moved quickly all day, scouting out remote locations that could be havens for Death Eaters.  Almost eight hours had passed when they apparated into the last area before heading back to the castle.  The sun was just starting to drop to the tree line, sending shadows playing out across the tall grass.  The scouts moved forward in skirmish formation, wands out, as they swept the area.  Just as they reached the edge and started to move into the surrounding forest, one of the scouts let out a scream as she tripped a defensive ward.  Swiftly Harry and the other scouts turned to the sound just in time to see her fly through the air and land against a tree with a sickening crunch. 

            A quick command by Rinchen had the scouts sink into their current position until the rest of the wards could be discovered.  Seeing spells were quickly sent out as the scouts slowly mapped out the warded area.  It started just inside the trees and extended along the border of the forest for almost a kilometer before turning inwards in an elongated circle.  By this time it was almost pitch black, and not wanting to advertise their presence more, Rinchen left four men under invisibility cloaks on watch across the field from the wards, and picking up the dead scout's body, apparated back to the camp. 

Hogwarts:

            The next morning saw yet another burial at the edge of the forest even as the camp was getting ready to move.  Warriors strapped weapons to their back and checked wands and staffs as they prepared for battle.  Meanwhile, inside the castle, Severus was trying to convince the Headmaster to move the Order of the Phoenix out as well.

"But, Headmaster, it is obvious that there is something there!  Surely you must at least check it out!" he cried.

"I need do no such thing.  If our allies see fit to investigate these wards, let them.  One person died already, even if it was one of theirs, and I don't plan on allowing my people to die."

            Severus snorted in disgust.  He was a Slytherin at heart, true, but there were times that he just had to be out in the fray, and this was one of those times.

"Fine, then, do as you wish.  I will go myself."

"I forbid you to leave, Severus.  If you walk out that castle gate to join them do not plan on coming back.  The only way we will survive is if we stay together, and if you do this you betray everyone else."

"You know, of course, that I disagree.  We are not here merely to save the lives of those around us, but to destroy Voldemort.  Therefore, I must go.  Good day, Headmaster."

            With that Severus walked out the door and down the winding stairs feeling like an immense burden had been lifted from his chest.  Now he just had to convince Potter and his friends to allow him to stay with them. 

            When he arrived at the camp, Severus was not surprised to see the majority of its inhabitants geared for war. What did surprise him, however, was the variety of weapons that the Tibetan warriors carried.  Having grown up in a society based around wands, the decidedly deadly nature of these weapons took him aback.  Here were weapons for war and no other purpose, and unless he had read them wrong, they were carried by people who knew how to use them.  If he did not already hate his former comrades as he did, the sight would almost make him feel sorry for them.  As it was, however, he only felt satisfaction.  Finally the multitude of innocent lives would be avenged. 

            Moving through the camp proved to be a learning experience in itself.  Severus watched as men and women loaded for war moved through complex routines involving movements of the hands and feet as if they were weightless.  The beauty and inherent deadliness of their motions were astounding and Severus felt himself longing for the control it was so obvious that they possessed. 

            When he finally found Harry and the boy who seemed to be his constant companion – had he really called him his brother? – he was not surprised to find them armed as well.  Harry was wearing what looked like a dragonhide tunic that extended almost to the knees, being slit along the sides from the waist down for freedom of movement.  Under the dragonhide baggy pants flowed over feet encased in leather shoes.  A helmet obviously belonging to Harry stood off to the side.  His… brother? stood facing him clad in similar apparel, both carrying staffs that extended almost a foot taller than they themselves were.  Severus watched as they settled into stances facing each other, both of the boys reaching out as one with their hands to the helmets on the table nearby.  Without incantations or wands the helmets flew over, settled on their heads, and fastened themselves of their own accord.  It was almost too much to remain quiet at the unconscious display of strength that their actions had revealed.  To see two young men who needed no wands was incredible.  It had been bad enough to face a fifteen year old Harry when he carried no wand, although the presence of Sifu had certainly helped.  Now there were two, both obvious masters of wandless magic.  On top of that, they were the picture of danger facing each other in their armor.  It was enough to strike fear in Severus' soul, and he knew they were all on the same side.

            Before he could ruminate further, both boys moved as one, bringing their staffs together with a resounding crash.  Harry jumped into the fray and swung his up from above like a club as the younger boy brought his staff up with both hands to meet it.  Almost before Harry had landed, the other boy spun with his staff inches off the ground to sweep Harry off his feet.  Before the staff reached him, however, Harry had buried his own staff in the earth, blocking the blow.  This continued for several minutes, neither boy able to gain the advantage over the other.  Finally they parted, and with a final bow, set themselves to analyzing the spar for weak points. 

            Rather than approach them Severus faded into the shadows as was his wont, analyzing the two for their risks as a possible threat.  He was only just beginning to be afraid when a voice came out of seemingly nowhere from behind him.

"Frightening, aren't they?  I feel it myself, and I had the honor of undertaking most of their training."

            Severus turned to find Sifu sitting behind him on the ground.  Settling himself down beside his former opponent, Severus replied.

"Yes, they are.  Having been on the receiving end of that training I would have to say that you did quite well."

"I thank you.  Why did you come after Harry, anyways?  I never got much more from Harry than something about a mutual animosity."

"There was that, of course, but the young Potter was very easy to hate.  I knew his father, and here was the living picture of my worst enemy come back to life.  When he ran away I thought it was just his fear finally showing its face.  It may have been, I don't know, but that is a moot point now anyways.  He is back, and victory is all that matters now."

"Why is Harry so important?" Sifu asked, his brow crinkling in puzzlement.

"There are reasons, not the least of which being his survival of a curse that should have killed him when he was only a baby.  There is also the matter of a prophecy, but it is not my place to talk about that.  Dumbledore is the one to ask, although I doubt he will tell you anything.  I just came from him as a matter of fact, and he was quite recalcitrant with his support.  This is almost a reenactment of the last war, only attacking when under attack, and if I can be of direct help, that is where I will be.  Waiting will not win the war, and Dumbledore and his Gryffindor pride refuse to admit that."

"Your opinion of your leader leaves much to be desired, but I believe I see your point.  We came to end this.  Harry has gained much respect, and the wizarding community had heard of Voldemort's last reign, so to allow him victory here is unacceptable.  I, of course, have only heard secondary accounts, but they are more than enough to convince me of the necessity of our involvement here."

            Severus nodded by way of response, and the two of them settled into a surprisingly companionable silence.  They understood each other perfectly, and both knew the other was willing to sacrifice his life for the greater good.  It was almost enough to make Severus shudder as he realized he was displaying the Gryffindor bravery he had mocked for so long.  That particularly annoying character trait could be addressed later once its usefulness had expired.

Unknown Location, England:

            Meanwhile, preparations were underway for a course of events that would change their lives forever.  The Death Eater camp was in a frenzy following the failed assault on the Tibetan camp.  The Dark Lord's legendary anger had resulted in the death of two of his lieutenants, and their replacements were edgy to say the least.  Things had only gotten worse with the news that the southern wards had been tripped.  The blood stains left on the tress had shown that they had done their job well, but the fact that they were tripped at all was bad news.  Only a wizard could have gotten that far, and only one of their enemies would be wandering this far from civilization.  In response, the Dark Lord had ordered what could very well make or break their cause: a full scale battle with the new entrants into the fray. 

            Shields were prepared and wands cleaned as the Death Eaters prepared for war.  Two corps of Death Eaters from a five corps total in the army were being sent out with the remainder to be held in reserve.  Because any commander worth his salt would leave scouts at the first point of incursion, three squads were sent out to draw their attention.  Sure enough, as the squads entered the clearing they heard the telltale pop of apparation.  Their job complete, the squads apparated off to join the main force inside the Forbidden Forest. 

The Camp, outside of Hogwarts:

            The scout was almost out of breath as he ran up to the commanders' tent, but he managed to give his information.

"Enemy in the clearing, sir!" he addressed Lobsang.

            Turning to his own lieutenants, Lobsang started issuing orders.

"Rinchen, take four squads of twenty men apiece and secure the perimeter.  Kwai Chang, alert the rest of the troops for immediate movement if this proves to be what we have been waiting for."

            The men sprang into action and within five minutes the camp was in an uproar.  Rinchen apparated out with his troops, leaving the remaining four fifths to prepare for action, many of them meditating as they waited. 

            Severus found himself with Sifu once more as he joined the rest in their preparations.  Once more he found himself impressed with the professionalism displayed before him.  The wizarding armies he was used to were generally disorganized at best, and based on pairs or small groups of witches and wizards working together independently, not in a smoothly functioning army as was the case here. 

            If anything the commotion grew at the first report from Rinchen.  The Death Eaters were gone, of course, but they had left something behind.  Some sort of hybrid creature had erupted from the fortress emitting some kind of anti-apparation field.  The messenger had had to mount one of the scout's borrowed brooms to make it out, and he still had had to travel a significant distance.  All attempts to kill the beast, both magically and physically, had so far failed, and it followed any groups that attempted to leave, effectively pinning a fifth of the force away from the camp.  This latest news drew Lobsang's heart plummeting in his stomach, although his face showed none of his concern.  It was obvious that an attack somewhere was imminent, and with troops trapped with no way in or out, they were at a serious disadvantage.  Orders rang out as troops arranged themselves in a perimeter around the camp, their backs to the castle. 

            It was a scant five minutes later when the first green splash of magical light left the forest, illuminating the faces of the defenders with its sickly glow.  The attack had begun. 

A/N:  I believe a slight explanation is in order for my absence.  Unfortunately, my computer got hit by lightning (you think it sounds crazy? Try watching it!) and it took me a while to get everything going again.  So I hope you enjoyed Chapter 23, and more will be out soon.  Peace.


	25. Chapter 24 Choices

**Chapter 24**

**Choices**

****

The beginning of the end is more often than not merely the end of a beginning.

Despite the strength of the shields surrounding the camp, even they could not hold up long against a barrage of Unforgivables. As the last ward flickered and died the enemy moved into view. Their faces were covered with masks, and their dark robes gave them an appearance that would give children nightmares. The defenders, however, were not children. They were warriors, and the appearance of the enemy was what they had been waiting for. With a roar the first line rose and charged the enemy, flying curses and hexes from their comrades giving them the cover they needed.

Harry yelled his battle cry as he ran alongside the rest of his squad. To his right Claude kept pace, his bo raised in one hand, the other extended as he sent hexes into the trees. The tree line was a mass of Death Eater's, their wands raised as one to block the incoming magical assault. While they dealt with the curses the Tibetan line closed, and before the Death Eater could react, the battle was joined at close range. The slower of the Tibetan soldiers were the first to fall as the Unforgivables arced their way.

Harry ducked under one Unforgivable and blocked a minor hex as he reached the enemy. Swinging his staff in a wide, low arc, he swept out the legs from the Death Eater in front of him. As the Death Eater fell, Harry brought the staff up in the air above him and swung with all his might, cracking the man's skull. The force of the blow sent the mask flying off of his head, revealing a young Goyle to Harry's disbelieving gaze. With a shake of his head at the folly that had forced them to this point Harry moved off to join Claude to take down his opponent a few feet away.

The first that the castle's inhabitants knew about the battle outside was from a group of children who had been playing in one of the towers by a window. Their screams of terror as the killing curse sped at them only to fizzle to nothingness on the wards brought almost the entire castle population running. Windows were crowded as they viewed the mayhem below. Shrieks filled the air as the Death Eaters came into view, some falling to their deaths, but more taking the places of the fallen.

Tibetans fell as well before the horrified eyes of the watchers, finally spurring them into action. Ex-aurors and Order members sprinted to their posts, readying themselves to take the field. Maybe they did not know their allies, but they knew who their enemies were, and they needed to be out there.

Sirius ran through the halls towards the Headmaster's office, pulling on his battle cloak as he burst through the door.

"Professor! I am sounding the alarm to rally the troops for an immediate attack!"

"Are you certain that this is a wise decision, Sirius?" Dumbledore replied, his eyes hooded as he peered over his steepled fingers. "It may be a trap, or we may be hopelessly outnumbered. Who knows how many Death Eaters are in the Forest!"

"That doesn't matter! They need our help, and I for one will give it, no matter what."

"Very well."

With that Dumbledore reached off to the side and using a small hammer shattered a small glass sphere on the desk. A loud wailing filled the castle, sending children and other noncombatants to the dormitories while the defenders of Hogwarts assembled for battle. Sirius strode out in front of them, his amplified voice quieting the chatter in the ranks.

"Alright, listen up! We are going to be moving into the forest, so stick with your squad! We don't know how many Death Eaters there are, but there are enough to be keeping our allies busy, so that is obviously not a good thing. Only aim for the masks, everyone else is on your side. Questions? Good. Move out!"

The troops came out of the castle at a run heading for the fray at the Forest's edge. It was too confused to be able to tell who was winning, but the multitude of spells in the air showed that the battle was far from over.

Ron ran with his family, his heart beating wildly in his chest. While he had attended all of the extra Defense classes that had been offered as well as the training that Sirius had set up at Hogwarts for those who wanted to be able to defend themselves, this was his first real fight. His older brothers had fought before on missions for the Order, so he felt somewhat safer in their company, but the fear came back to the surface just the same. Drawing in a deep breath as he reached the Forest's edge, Ron sent out his first spell and joined the battle.

Hermione sat in the Hogwart's version of a Muggle Situation Room, wringing her hands anxiously as she watched her second family rush into battle. Unfortunately she could not just watch them; the entire battlefield was under her scope. Quickly her analytical mind took over as she examined the magically maintained miniature of the Castle and the surrounding area. Using her wand to selectively magnify and concentrate on particular areas of the rapidly closing battleground she began to relay her orders to the field commanders.

Claude's face opened into a feral grin as he scored his first kill. While he would never kill for the joy of it, his joy in the kill was nevertheless undeniable. Knowing he had ended the life of someone who had killed for the sheer pleasure of it and hopefully saved the child of a future victim the pain he himself had felt only enhanced the joy he felt. Quickly he schooled his features into an even mask as Harry joined him. Together they moved into the fray, their staffs an impenetrable physical barrier, and their magical abilities creating a whirlwind of force leveling the opposition. They were, in truth, the consummate warrior duo.

At first the onslaught of the new attackers beat back the Death Eater lines, but the Death Eater commanders soon summoned their own reinforcements in turn, leveling the battlefield once more. This is the way the battle remained for over an hour. Neither side could gain an overwhelming advantage over the other. Of course there would be an occasional breakthrough in one area or another, but these areas were always quickly reinforced by the losing side from another area that they were winning in, leaving the battle undecided once again.

On both sides the death toll grew at a somewhat even pace. The Death Eaters and, to a lesser extent, the Tibetans had no qualms about leaving a dead opponent behind, and Hogwarts' defenders soon lost their reservations as their friends and family members fell wounded or dead. A well placed 'Reducto' or 'Wingardium Leviosa' was just as fatal as 'Aveda Kedavra' after all.

Hermione watched in horror as one after another lights representing wizards' positions on both sides of the field winked out. Fully one in six had either disappeared or turned to a darker shade marking them as wounded. She had noncombatants moving through areas that the battle no longer occupied to collect the wounded there, but those still in the thick of the fighting had to make do until it was safe for help to come. Now all she could do was hope and pray that no one she knew had a dark or now nonexistent dot to represent them.

Harry had lost sight of Claude in a particularly tight spot a few minutes before and now was standing back to back with a particularly adept witch. As their combined efforts finally drove back their attackers long enough for a quick breather, Harry turned around to see who his savior was. His gratitude quickly became shock as he recognized the youngest member of the Weasley clan. His mouth must have been hanging open quite noticeably, because Ginny gave a quick little laugh as she reached and lightly pushed up on his jaw. Harry simply stared at her with open admiration as they stood there for a moment.

Unfortunately their moment of peace was not destined to last. The widening of Ginny's eyes in horror was Harry's only warning before she shoved him bodily away from the onrushing curse. Its evil light struck her squarely in the chest, sending her to the ground writhing and screaming in agony. Furor and hate filled Harry as he turned to his attacker. All of his years training with Sifu left him in that moment as he faced the person who had dared to strike Ginny down. All of his inner peace forced out of the very core of his being by the hate that swept him like a tidal wave. His eyes grew dark and his voice seemed to boom with an unnatural power as he extended his hand to the unwary wizard and spoke the two fateful words.

"Aveda Kedavra!"

He felt the power leave him, but it was quickly replaced by an almost euphoric high as the Death Eater crumpled bonelessly to the ground. Ginny's spastic thrashing stopped with her torturer's death like a puppet when its strings are cut and she lay there, deathly still and silent on the ground. Harry's heart stopped in his chest as he saw her, and he almost dove into the forest floor in an attempt to reach her. Kneeling on the forest floor he cradled her head in his hands, gathering her body to himself in a desperate attempt to see what was wrong.

Suddenly Harry's mind hearkened back to one of his earlier lessons with Sifu. He had been explaining chi.

"Focus your mind," Sifu had said. "Let your internal energy, your chi, flow through your body and into a balloon you are holding in your hands. It is a fire…"

It was at this point that, predictably, Harry's entire body had erupted in fire as his energy flew uncontrollably around him, something that thrilled Sifu to no end. After all these years of practice it was highly controlled of course, but it was a potent force nonetheless that Harry had used many times to revitalize himself when he was especially tired.

Remembering his lessons it was as if a light bulb had turned on in his head. Letting Ginny down onto the forest floor once more Harry moved into a sitting position, his eyes shut. Drawing his hands to his chest he slowly inhaled. Then he pushed the air out as his hands pushed out in front of him, removing the taint from his soul. Then he drew breath once more, visualizing his chi as a healing force in his hands. Then, with his eyes stilled closed he moved his hands to a position above Ginny, allowing the healing chi to move from his body to hers. Immediately he felt drained, almost exhausted even. Opening his eyes almost fearfully he watched Ginny take a ragged breath and slowly open her eyes as well. Sobbing he scooped her to his chest, reveling in the life he felt. Nearby the Death Eater lay where he had fallen, a silent reminder of the evil it had taken to save that precious life.

A/N: Once more, props go to Ters and Kraeg001 for betaing as well as being sounding boards for ideas. Thanks all for reading. Peace.


	26. Chapter 25 A Finale

**Chapter 25**

**A Finale**

            Rinchen watched the lumbering beast in front of him with growing frustration.   It was not a dangerous animal per se, but it followed the attempts at escape with surprising speed and agility to prevent them from leaving the Anti-Apparation field it was producing.  All attempts at disabling the beast had proved fruitless as well, as its hide seemed to be dragon-like in consistency.  Finally a solution occurred to him.  A portkey would be just the thing to relieve them of their problem.  They had tried it before, of course, but this had been an attempt to portkey men.  Perhaps the key was to portkey the beast.  Quickly Rinchen brought out a throwing star.  After casting the appropriate spells he threw the star with all his might to lodge it in one of the beast's scales.  Nodding in satisfaction he activated the portkey.  Much to his delight and relief the beast disappeared.  Hopefully it did not know how to swim.  Gathering his men once more, Rinchen apparated to the now empty camp to hopefully prove to be of help in the still ongoing battle. 

             The appearance of Rinchen's fresh troops was a welcome reinforcement to the beleaguered fighters under Lobsang and Sirius' command.  It was an even more dramatic effect as both sides were now quite tired while.  A quick series of movements brought them to the left flank and they quickly set to work turning the enemy line onto itself in an attempt to surround the Death Eaters. 

            Ron's first warning that something had changed in the tide of the battle was the sudden appearance of retreating Death Eaters.  While this was good for the battle as a whole, it meant that instead of winning as they had been, Ron and the warriors around him were now quite hard pressed.  A lone Death Eater appeared from the thick bushes behind them as they fought off yet another group of tired Death Eaters.  Before they had a chance to react he had laid George low with a Cruciatus Curse.  Ron turned quickly and cast a Stupefying hex, but the Death Eater raised a shield that dissipated the force of the spell harmlessly before turning to torture George once more.  The Death Eater's laughs and George's screams drove Ron into a frenzy.  Casting about for a way to save his brother his eyes fell on a spear clasped in the hand of a fallen Tibetan.  Wrenching it from the stiffening body Ron leveled the spear in front of him and charged.  The tip of the spear hit the Death Eater in his side and plunged straight through with a sickening efficiency.  The still-masked man jerked at the initial impact, but knowing he was going to die anyway, he used the last bit of energy left to end George's life.   Ron screamed in hopeless rage as the unforgiving green light of the 'Aveda Kedavra' curse sent his brother into oblivion.  With a choking laugh the Death Eater sank to his knees on the ground.  Taking off his mask, Draco Malfoy turned to Ron and with blood starting to bubble from his mouth said, "I guess I got the last laugh after all, Weasel."  His body finally stilled as death took him, Draco Malfoy stayed upright thanks to the spear in his side, defiant to the end.  A few feet away a broken Ron hugged his knees to his chest next to his dead brother, rocking back and forth while tears streamed down his face. 

            Meanwhile Voldemort watched the new developments with growing frustration.  This battle had grown unchecked into what looked like the deciding battle of the war.  Whoever won here was sure to inevitably win as almost all troops on both sides had been committed to the battle.  It looked like he would have to take a personal role in the battle in order to ensure victory.  The Dark Lord was ready to make his entrance.

            Voldemort apparated into the rear of the Death Eater lines and made his way to the front.  A hole opened before him as he walked, his serpentine figure striking fear in the defenders.  His magical skills had grown to an almost legendary status over the years, and even his recent rebirth had not decreased his power that much.  Wasting no time playing with his victims, Voldemort let loose almost exclusively with the Killing Curse.  The trail of bodies he left behind him was outpaced by the people running before him.  Counterattacks seemed almost useless as he waved aside hexes nonchalantly. 

            Harry had left Ginny in the care of a healer and moved back into the fray by the time word of Voldemort's arrival reached him.  Tired but determined he moved toward the location of the latest reports.  His blood had brought the madman back, and his blood would send him back to whatever hell had spawned him. 

            When the two men spotted each other across the field of battler, Voldemort showed a menacing smile on his face.  Harry, however, was in pain.  For the first time in over four years his scar was active.  Swiftly he emptied his mind of all thoughts and brought up his mental defenses.  The pain abated but did not disappear entirely as Harry moved to attack the Dark Lord.

"Potter.  Finally we meet again.  Are you ready to die?" Voldemort asked as they neared each other.

"Actually, I wasn't planning on dying today, Tom.  Have you said your prayers?" Harry replied.

            Voldemort's face became a grimace at his long abandoned name as he brought his wand up to point at Harry.

"Aveda Kedavra!" he cried.

            Harry had seen the curse coming, though, and was not there when it passed.

"You'll have to try harder than that, Tom" he jeered, flipping himself upright again.

            Realizing that a quick end was not possible, Voldemort resorted to the more traditional dueling curse, sending them one after another in a wave at Harry.  The constant bombardment was almost too much for Harry to bear.  Some he blocked and some he dodged, but healing Ginny had taken too much out of him to keep it up for long.  His confidence faltered for the first time how strong Voldemort was compared to him in his current state.  As his confidence died, so did his ability.  A jelly legs hex pierced his defense, slowing him long enough for a cruel smile to cross Voldemort's lips as he cast the Cruciatus Curse on Harry.  The pain was intense and immediate, and only his years of training in meditative techniques allowed him to block out the pain long enough to send a 'Stupefy' at his opponent.  Although the hex did not have its desired effect, it was enough to distract Voldemort and disrupt the curse.  Harry sagged back in relief as exhaustion took hold.  Voldemort, on the other hand, was anything but tired.  He raised his wand again, this time to end the struggle for good.

            His look of satisfaction faded to shock and dismay as he looked down at the sword that had suddenly blossomed from his chest.  He jerked forward spasmodically off the blade and crumpled to the ground.  Above him stood Claude, a victorious look on his face.  He quickly stepped over Voldemort' body and moved to help Harry to his feet.  He stopped as he saw Harry's eyes widen and lock on a spot on the ground behind him.  Swiftly Claude spun to find Voldemort rising to his feet, no trace on the wound to be seen.  Even the blood on Claude's blade had disappeared.

"Did you think you could finish me that easily, boy?  I am the Dark Lord!  Not even Death can stop me now!"

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we," Claude said as he advanced on the now risen wizard.

            A flurry of spells even more intense than before was now in the air.  This time both Claude and Voldemort were sending out spells as fast as they could.  From the first, though, it was clear that Claude had the advantage as he could send and block spells simultaneously without depending on a wand as Voldemort did.  Voldemort's eyes narrowed as he watched the boy in front of him.  He reminded him of someone.  Settling for just defensive action he called out.

"What is your name, boy?"

"Of what use is that to you, old man?  You'll be dead soon anyways," Claude replied, his spellcasting unabated by the speech. 

"Whatever the end, it does not matter.  Tell me your name!"

"Fine.  It's Riddle.  Claude Riddle.  Are you satisfied old man?"

"It is as I suspected then.  My name before I took up my glorious cause was Thomas Riddle.  Sound familiar to you, my young relative?"

"Y-You are Tom Riddle?  I thought you were a story!  You should be dead!"

"That's magic for you.  Now why don't we leave these hopeless Muggle lovers and settle down as those of the same blood should, as friends and equals.  What say you?"

"Fat chance of that old man.  My parents were the Muggles you seem to hate so much.  My mother was killed and I almost was.  I have no reason to join you, blood or not.  I know a better way."

"Have it your way then.  Before I kill you, there is something you should know.  It was I who had your family killed.  They ridiculed me and cast me out, so I gave them their due.  With your death I will finally have my revenge!"

            Claude's visage filled with rage.  This… snake! had killed his mother and father and tried to kill him!  He would pay! Claude's spells grew in intensity to a point that even without acting offensively Voldemort was hard pressed to defend himself.  At last the Dark Lord had met his better, and ironically it was his own grandnephew.  As he cast the spells, Claude moved closer and closer to his elder until finally he whipped out his sword once more and with a deadly swipe took the Dark Lord's head off with one clean blow.  The headless body crumpled to the ground, the magic from before already at work to revive him.  Claude stood there in consternation.  What could he do against an enemy that revived himself?  A hand rested on his shoulder and he turned to see Harry there leaning on him, weak but still alert.  Harry stretched out his hand and fire burst from his fingertips to engulf the head and body.  Taking his cue Claude did the same, and soon there was nothing left of the wizard but ash.  Either even his advanced magicks could not overcome his dispersion by the wind or Harry was indeed the key, but either way, the Dark Lord did not return.  It was over.

            Of course it took time to mop up the remaining enemy warriors, but it did happen.  After Voldemort's death the Death Eater ranks fell apart. Survivors were quickly rounded up and their wands removed as they were herded into Hogwarts massive dungeons.  Healers now moved through the Forest in the late hours of the afternoon, cataloguing the dead and transporting the numerous wounded into the Great Hall.  Harry and Claude moved through trying to find their mentor as the remaining Tibetan troops gathered in the camp.  Their losses had been heavy, but most were wounded rather than dead so hope remained.  In one particularly bloody area Harry paused.  There was something familiar about hat man over there.  Moving to see who it was, Harry stopped in horror as he recognized Sifu's face, long stilled in death.  All around him were the bodies of dead Death Eaters, the holes in their bodies testament to the effectiveness of Sifu's spear.  Claude sank to the ground beside Harry and they sat there in silence holding their friend and surrogate father as he began his final journey.  At long last Harry stood, a determined look on his face.  Reaching down he gently took hold of Claude's chin to direct his gaze upwards.

"His death meant something, you hear me?  This is not the end for him, but the beginning.  He died so we could live.  We were a family, and you and I will remain one no matter what our blood may tell.  Now let's give our father the respect he deserves and carry on as he would have wanted us to.  Are you coming, brother?" 

            Claude grasped Harry's proffered arm and stood, a determined look on his face.  It was time for the boy to become a man, and he would be one that his father, both his fathers, would have been proud of.  Together the brothers walked toward the castle, their father's empty shell levitated between them.

A/N:  Thanks to Ters and Kraeg001 for the beta work.  Hope y'all don't get too irritated at me for this chapter lol.  Peace.


	27. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

            Ginny awoke with the bright morning sunlight pouring in the window.  Squinting in the glare she looked about in confusion.  Where was she?  The long rows of beds with sleeping patients around her answered that well enough.  Now why was she there?  Ginny remembered; the last thing she had seen was the Death Eater falling to the ground and then Harry's face.  Harry!  Where was he?  Had he survived?  What had he done to her?  Despite knowing the pain she had been in, she now felt nothing.  In fact, she felt stronger somehow, like there was more magical energy in her system than there usually was.  Cautiously she got up from the bed and moved toward the kitchens to get something to eat.  Before she had even gotten out of the Great Hall, however, she saw several people approaching.  She smiled as she saw her family; it slipped from her face though as she realized Harry was not with them.  Their faces were somber as well – something was wrong.

"Thank Heavens you're all right!" her mother cried as she pulled her into an embrace.  "We thought we had lost you too!"

            Ginny just held her mother in silence.  Suddenly she noticed an absence.  Pulling back she asked her mother:

"Where is George?"

            The sobs that came in response told Ginny all she needed to know.  Her own eyes filled with tears as she pulled her mother into a tight embrace once more.  The rest of the family gathered around, reassuring each other with their presence while Fred hung back, his eyes a listless reflection of his once joyful self.  Ginny pulled back.

"Was it worth it?  Did we win?"

            The sad smile and nod from her father gave her heart.  Harry must be alive then, because he was the key.  Without him Voldemort could not die.

            The Tibetan camp had a subdued atmosphere.  While its occupants had come knowing that they could die, the reality of that death was always harsher than expected.  The bodies had been arranged in rows, magic keeping them from decomposing, and soldiers passed alongside saying their goodbyes to friends and comrades.  When they left for home the bodies would come as well for the proper burial in the mountains of their homeland.  Harry and Claude had had a rough night but with the coming of the dawn they were finally at peace.  Sifu had not died, merely passed on, and for those who knew him, they knew he had been looking forward to the next step of the journey.  Sifu's final resting place would be alongside the same monastery he had called home for much of his life.  Harry and Claude had decided to return with him.  Harry's home was no longer England just as Claude's was no longer France.  At the monastery they could be real without the expectations or condemnations of anyone else.  It was Home. 

            Severus was irritated.  Annoyed.  Aggravated.  Here he was after the greatest victory in the modern wizarding world and he had to sit in a council to decide what to do next!  It did not help that no one else wanted to be there either.  In fact it made it worse as everyone wanted to be out with their families and several arguments had risen as a result.  The only thing that made it worthwhile was watching Sirius try to explain his various decisions to people who had lost friends and family the day before.  The only problem was that his revenge had happened the one time that he agreed with Sirius Black completely.  Finally he lost his patience in the midst of a diatribe by the recently arrived head of the Weasley clan.

"Enough!"  Heads turned his way n consternation.  Since when had Snape of all people had an opinion in Council?  "Don't you realize this was his only option?  Yes, people died.  IT'S WAR!!!  Weasley, you lost your son; that must be hard.  But you won the battle!  Voldemort is dead!  Don't any of you understand that?  The Dark Lord is dead and his followers are either dead or locked up in the dungeons.  Doesn't that mean anything to you?"  Snorting in disgust at the proceedings in general he rose from his chair.  "I'm leaving.  Albus, I resign from my position as Potions Master.  I'm sick of dealing with those little sycophants and terrors you call children and with Voldemort's death I don't have a reason to stay.  Potter's guardian gave me ideas, and I am following them.  Good day."

            With one last turn of his billowing black robes Severus Snape swept out of Hogwarts for good.  Now he had to find Sifu and see if he wanted a companion for the trip back to Tibet.

            Not ten minutes later a much subdued Severus Snape stood before the body of the man he had hoped to one day call friend.  Nearby he saw Harry and Claude looking at him, distrust in Harry's eyes.  Resigning himself to showing emotion to Potter Severus approached them to give his condolences.

"He was a good man," he started.  Harry and Claude nodded in agreement.  "I would like to have known him better."  
  
            Harry looked at him with sad eyes.

"He would have liked that too, Professor."

            With nothing else to say Severus turned to leave.

"Wait," Harry said.  "Where are you going now?"

"I don't know.  I left my position here, so perhaps I will see if the family home still remains."

"You could go to Tibet.  Sifu would have liked that and I'm sure there is much there for you to do.  They don't care who you used to be.  You would be a real person there."

"Perhaps," Severus replied, trying not to let his surprise at the offer show.  Of all people he would expect to offer him a place, Harry Potter would be the last.  Maybe there was something there for him after all even with Sifu gone.

"We leave in two days at dawn.  I hope to see you then."

            Severus nodded and turned to leave.  He had many things to do before he left and a day and a half was not much time.  Of course as a spy he had few friends to say farewell to; hopefully that would change.

            After Severus left, Harry went up to the castle as well.  He had not seen Ginny since the previous day's events.  Walking in the gates he saw an almost forbidding atmosphere.  Wands were much in evidence as the residents walked above the dungeons holding their erstwhile opponents.  Rather than acting as normal people did the day after a victory, it was as if they were expecting the other shoe to drop at any time.  Perhaps living through Voldemort's resurrection had caused them to be suspicious of victory.  Whatever the cause, it was not his concern so Harry continued into the castle.  The Great Hall was a madhouse.  Cots lined the open areas and healers bustled in between caring for their patients.  In one corner Harry saw the Weasley clan clustered together in conversation so he moved toward them.  Before he had made it halfway Ginny saw him.  Running to him she drew him into a hug, whispering in his ear.

"I'm glad you're alive."

            Harry said nothing in response, just letting her touch comfort him in ways words could not.  He pulled away as the rest of the family approached, greeting them each in turn.  They talked quietly for a while, remembering the dead.  Soon it was time for lunch and the much reduced population of the castle squeezed into the Great Hall wherever there was room.  Claude had joined them as well, the Weasleys welcoming him as one of their own.  However, from various corners of the room Harry saw dark looks pass Claude's way.  It seemed Harry and Claude had not been the only one's in the conversation with Voldemort before his death.  By the end of the meal word seemed to have filtered throughout the room, and it was only Claude's conversation with Mrs. Weasley that saved him from the shame they were trying to induce.  Harry quickly moved Claude out of the gates before the younger boy could realize what was up. 

            The next day Harry spent trying to keep Claude away from the castle without arousing his suspicions.  Ginny realized the cause and was more than willing to come and see Harry in the camp, as were the rest of his surviving friends.    Neville and Dean had both died in the early years of the conflict and Parvati Patil had fallen the day before as she was tending the wounded, but despite the tragedy of these losses, they were the only ones from the Gryffindor House that Harry had grown up in.  That in itself was surprising given the rampant casualties throughout the Wizarding community on both sides of the war.  The Slytherin House that Harry remembered was almost entirely wiped out.  Contrary to popular opinion before the war, however, its members had not died primarily in Voldemort's service but in equal amounts on both sides as the House provided troops in a multitude of roles for the two armies.  The other three houses were slightly better off, but it was the graduates who had suffered most.  Almost an entire generation of wizards had fallen in battle, and even though the war was 'over', many still needed an outlet for their rage and grief.  It would be many years, perhaps several decades, until the scars from the war were removed.  However, there were many good people left behind with the will to continue, and as long as they stood up to the would-be tyrants who were sure to come.

            Dawn of the next day came earlier than Harry anticipated.  Although he realized that his place was no longer in England, it still hurt to leave once more.  The previous evening had been spent in tearful farewells with the Weasleys as well as Sirius and Remus and taking care of last minute business.  What few remaining items Harry had from his childhood he got rid of.  His memories of his parents were inside of him and what little else he had only brought back bad memories.  His broom and books had been left behind four years before and was gone for good now, while his invisibility cloak had been lost with the death of one of the scouts during Rinchen's delaying action.  There was only his wand left, and that he gave back to Ollivander – perhaps one day it would introduce yet another child to the Wizarding World.  Hopefully his lot in life would be better than Harry's.  Gathering his weapons into a bag Harry moved out of the tent and shrunk it before moving off to join Claude and Severus in loading up the wagons to leave.  As they were boarding Harry gave one last look back at the castle.  To his surprise there was a slight figure running toward them at a breakneck pace.  Squinting his eyes against the glare from the rising sun behind him Harry tried to make out who it was.  It was Ginny!  Gasping for breath she reached them and threw a bag into the back of the wagon before hopping in herself. 

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

"I'm going with you!  I want to see what it's like away from here!  Everyone has something else now.  Ron has Hermione; Bill, Charlie, and Percy are all getting engaged now; and Fred is throwing himself into work like there is no tomorrow.  I need something for me, and it isn't here."  She looked up at him.  "Can I come with you to find it?"

            Harry looked down at her and smiled.

"Of course you can."

            Satisfied she settled in next to him, Severus' mutterings about the follies of youth serving as a comfortable backdrop.  Silently they sat together as the wagons rose as one and wheeled to face the rising sun.  Harry felt his spirits lift.  He had a brother now, and if his second father had died, he had left a large part of himself behind in the form of hope for the future.  There was the sun now coming out from behind the clouds.  The future was there, he just had to reach out and take it.

A/N:  Well, that's it.  The end.  After just over a year and some really long waits on your part, I am finally done.  Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.  In answer to some reviewers who have asked about sequel possibilities: not now.  I don't have the plot or the perseverance to push out another story on the same lines.  I have been writing other stuff lately where martial arts and other important areas of this fic come into play, but Harry Potter has sent his last kick from my end I think.  Magic and martial arts were hard to put together in the first place as it forced me to write a story about war, something I really hate.  I'm sure you could tell from reading the story that I dislike it and any dramatization of it that does not bring forth its horrors.  It's bad.  I'll stop there because I could rant about it for days.  So thanks for reading.  I'll probably post other fics at some point, although they are likely to be short stories rather than novella-length like this one was.  Maybe someday I'll do a rewrite of this as well, but it won't be in the near future.  If you are looking for other stories, check out Hunta, who has a list of recommended stories in the HP genre.  Last but not least, this cannot end without a big thank-you to Ters and Kraeg001, who betaed and offered myriad suggestions throughout the whole process.  It wouldn't be the same without them hounding me for chapters.  Thanks.  Peace out y'all and happy reading.


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